The Life of a Duellist: Year One
by Blazer Dude
Summary: Nikolai Nekorovich is heading to Duel academy 15 years after Judai Yuki. There he makes rivalries and just tries to live his life without being killed by Kai Yuki, Judais egotistic son and his gang.Rating may change
1. Chapter 1

15 Years Later: Return to Duel Academy

For this fic I'm going to use the new Master rules that will debut in 5D's, they won't feature in this chapter yet however. Hoping this will go well, I will be using the old terms such as sacrifice though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh in any form but I do own any OC of my creation in this fic.

The Life of a Duellist: Year One

Speaking

Thinking

Speaking other language

_**Chapter 1: Examination**_

Nikolai stared out of the plane as he landed in Paris. He had had a long flight and was tired although he had been too nervous to sleep. The small cabin was filled with people and all of them were fidgeting or yawning. All had had sleep except him. He cursed himself in Russian for letting himself lose the energy he needed. The speaker crackled overhead as the pilot spoke in Russian.

"This is the pilot. We have just touched down. The local time is 7:30 in the morning and it is a beautiful day in France." The Pilot spoke some other things but Nikolai was too tired to hear, he yawned he got his bags together as did everyone else. The glass and steel structure of The Orly-France South Terminal towering over them under the clear blue sky. He ran his hand through his hair. He was 15 and had Dark black hair that spawned out of his skull that was combed back messily, and piercing eagle eyes shaded brown. He was in a black jacket with a grey top with some dark blue jeans on. He yawned again and closed his eyes to saviour some rest. As they exited the plane into the small bus that met them and took them into the terminal Nikolai's phone beeped off. He took out the old model and flipped it open to see a text had been sent. He smiled when he read the Russian text.

**Good Luck XXX missing you**** loads**

**MUM**

He grinned at his Mothers message and typed in a reply.

**Don't need luck. Love you**

He flipped his phone away and took a deep breath rubbing his temples. When they got to customs they got through easy enough, with them being searched for any sort of explosive or dangerous substance. Nikolai had to chuckle at the fat kid who the guards were picking on. Russians were still not very welcome to this country, 32 years after the Soviet Unions collapse. That and the fact Russia was the dominant power now. Since the credit crunch and the oil crisis the east had grown massively. The EU had been ok and the economy was in a comfortable position however the States had suffered an economic blow that it was still reeling from leaving it still a superpower but not the supreme nation, the race was back on between the countries. The American Dream had become the Russian Dream. He walked under the glass domed area among the crowds of foreigners as they went about their business. He headed out of the Airport into a garage area where a coach was waiting for them. They headed inside after showing their tickets and where on their way.Nikolai sat at the back on his own. He was wary of new people and while the others laughed and joked and chatted he tried to get rest. They proceeded into the city among traffic that followed briskly at a good rate.Nikolai stared out of the window at the city as it drove past, they were at the outskirts currently but it got bigger ad bigger as they went on. The Paris of the movies would be in view soon enough. After a while they crossed into the main city and The Eiffel Tower was in view in the sky as well as passing the Arc'D Triomphe. They were heading to the nearest testing site that Kaiba Corp had set up for Duel Academy. Nikolais parents had been furious that there wasn't a Russian venue but luckily it was paid for. He had been scouted early on and his Duelling talent had won him a scholarship for the expenses if he was accepted including his travel fund, still he missed his country and it was too hot here. He slipped his jacket off. He reached down to his belt and pulled out his deck. He flicked through inspecting the cards and exchanging them with his side deck every so often. He sat there resting. He closed his eyes and pictured his home. It might be the last time he'd see it clearly for a year. He breathed easily and calmly as the people around him got on with their lives. Eventually after an hour they arrived. They stepped off and looked around at the steel building that had been set up with the KC logo. It was temporary but Nikolai couldn't help wonder how they got permission to build their own building so near The Tower and It was an eyesore, a big steel box. Anyhow the party of teens entered the lobby area, it had a desk where teens where lining up and filling in some documents. Nikolai took his place and sighed in annoyance at having to wait. He saw a girl come up behind him. She was around his age and had brown hair with blonde highlights down to her shoulders with green eyes. She had a blue top on and a cream jacket with dark blue jeans.

"Not more waiting" She groaned in English a soft voice with a Spanish accent

Nikolai nodded and sighed in frustration. "Nooooo organisation"

"Not their fault. Kaiba Corp is Japanese" She responded thoughtfully.

"They're organising it and they've fucked it up." He said in a bored tone as the man at the front ruffled through his papers in a confused manner as the girl at the front impatiently demanded her pass back.

"Suppose so." She turned to him and extended her hand. "Carissa Mendez"

He took it and grinned. "Nikolai Nekorovich"

"So where you from?"

"Archangel, it's about… 800 kilometres outside St Petersburg to the east." He explained. "You?"

"Madrid." She said simply.

They spoke for another 20 minutes until Nikolai finally got to the front.

"Can I have your pass please?" said the man in good Russian; he looked Slavic so at least he could speak properly.

Nikolai tossed it onto the desk and he began to file through the forms until he extracted Nikolai's sheet. He filled it in quickly, just basics. After that he was ushered into a large auditorium and took a seat at the back with a paper in front of him with the words.

**Kaiba Corporation Duel Academy Theory Paper (****France, Paris)**

**Name:……………………………**

Nikolai filled his name in with the very sharp pencil next to it and waited as the hall slowly filled, he doodled all over the front as the others entered. He saw Carissa enter and flashed her grin. She gave small wave and headed down to her seat at the front. As the last person entered, the fat kid, a man at the front in a suit walked on, he couldn't see his face properly from here but he was sure he was ginger ad had curly hair.

"Can everyone speak English here?" he asked.

3 quarters put their hands up, he signalled for some people to go up and interpret what he said to the ones who could not speak English.

"Ok people when the clock starts we will begin the test you have an hour. Basic no cheating rules. Questions?" No one asked. "And good luck." He walked over to the edge as a large digital clock on a table was wheeled out.

"3…" Came the mans voice as he prepared to turn it on. "…2…1...begin."

He pressed it and it began to count down from 60 minutes. The sound of paper rustling echoed all over the hall as they turned to the first page.

**Question 1: Name a One-Turn-kill Combo.**

Nikolai let out a breath and began to think.

After a while he put down one only few duellists could do. Activate Pot of Greed and then Polymerization on 5 dragons on hand to summon F.G.D and activate Quick attack to strike immediately to have an attack on Life points. For some reason he wasn't sure it would be accepted.

He carried on the test as well as he could and he missed out a few questions such as naming who won The Duellist kingdom V3 tournament or what the Ace card of the tag team champion Wayne Goodman was. After an hour a claxon went off and everyone put their pencils down and began to head into the arena where the practical would take place in 30 mins.It was small for an arena. There where stands and a ring but it was all rather crammed. Nikolai saw a vending machine on the far side in a small hallway near the toilets and headed toward it to pick up a snack. When he arrived he slid in a Quarter and took out a pack of crisps which he ate slowly. He scanned the area and saw some students from the Academy talking to some of the applicants. Some where 3rd year but a lot were Obelisk Blue which Nikolai meant they were in his year and because of either business connections or prep school scores meant they got that rank and an earlier examination. As he headed out he saw a crowd of kids surrounding a boy in a tailored obelisk blazer. Unlike the others it was a blue jacket and left open. He was around Nikolais height and had brown hair with blonde highlights and chocolate eyes. He knew the face instantly. Kai Yuki. The best duellist's son. Judai Yuki the world champion. Nikolai listened to the conversation going on as he munched on his crisps.

"Can I have your autograph?" Asked a girl to Kai.

Kai gave a smile built for a camera. "Of course."

He took the girls pencil and signed a piece of paper, others pulled out paper and he began to sign it.Nikolai saw Carissa nearby, she was moving her hair and looked nervous, he walked over.

"You ok?" He asked while chewing.

"That's Kai Yuki! The Prince of Games!" She said nervously.

Silence.

"So?" Said Nikolai.

"What DO YOU MEAN SO?!" She responded taken aback.

"Just cos his dads the best doesn't mean he measures up. Look at him milking all the attention. He's a famous for being famous." He Said as he bit into another open.

"But he is good!"

"I could beat him."

"What?" She laughed.

"Go on ask me. I'm your knight in shining armour." he said with a wink to her.

She blushed and laughed.

"Ok Sir Nicolas." she said sarcastically. "Go forth and beat the Prince of Games."

"Done" And too here surprise he headed over to the teen in the blue blazer.

He pushed through the small huddle.

"Oi! Kai!" He called in his accented English. "Kai!"

The guy turned lazily to him. "Autograph?"

"Duel." He smirked as he drew his deck out.

Kai looked interested for a moment before turning away.

"Sorry but you aren't anywhere near my level. Try in a year or two and you may have a chance." He joked.

Nikolai growled. "What's the matter? Afraid?"

Kai stopped and looked over his shoulder. "What's your name?"

"Nikolai"

"Well nikolai sorry but I'm the best duellist in the world's son. You're just some Russian punk."

Nikolai took a step forward. "Wanna make something of it?"

Kai turned fully and met him in the eyes.

"You think you're all it but I got a news flash for you." he stayed silent and then flashed his hand out showing the middle finger. "You aren't."

The tension mounted ad everyone stood fixated on the talk down, he saw Carissa get closer in an embarrassed way.

"So." Sighed Kai in an agitated way, a hardness on him now. "Do you really want to make an enemy of me?"

Carissa came over to Nikolai and spoke behind him.

"Nikolai come on just l-" put his hand up to signify silence.

Kai gave a chuckle. "Listen to your girlfriend. She's trying to help you out here. You're in too deep."

"Oh yea." Nodded Nikoali with a fire in his eyes. "That's a duel challenge my friend."

They were standing with the heads touching now, eyes staring into each other with fire behind them.

Suddenly the man from earlier pushed through the crowd, Nikolai and Kai were still staring each other down so he didn't get as good a glimpse. He was in his early 30's and had a freckly face that was all he could see.

"Ok, people lets break it up here." He said nervously. He put his hands between the two and pushed them apart. They slowly walked away although Nikolai made a throat cutting gesture as he left to some murmurs of the crowd.

"Nikolai!" Said Carissa in constricted voice. "What the hell was that?"

"I told you I'm going to beat him. Maybe not today but soon." He looked at her. "And he's a bastard."

She shook her head in disbelief and couldn't help laughing.

"Guess you don't have any respect for him after that,"

"Respect has to be earned. He's just feeding off what his father's built." He explained as they walked away to some seats near the arena and threw themselves down to get a view of the duels. Around 10 minutes later the speaker called out the first name and the examiners began to test their opponents. He knew that they were in order of how well you did in the test. Best first worst last. The fat kid was the first up in he was sweating like hell. Carissa couldn't help but laugh as did Nikolai. They had a cruel sense of humour. The duels were mildly interesting and only a few moves stood out to Nikolai including a combo he had in his cards he hadn't thought of. Quickly he changed cards in his side deck as this happened.5 minutes later the intercom announced again.

"Number 20 Nikolai Nekorovich report to area 1. Area 1 Nikolai Nekorovich." Came the mans voice.

Nikolai rubbed his hands together as he took out his duel disk from his rucksack.

"Wish me luck." He said as he stood up.

Carissa gave him a mock salute and he was on his way into the small duelling arena of 4 set up on the platform. The man opposite him was in a purple obelisk blazer. He was black and had a beanie on his head with intimidating eyes.

"Ok you ready?" He asked in a strong French accent.

Nikolai nodded and slapped his deck in as his duel disk opened up.

"DUEL!"

Examiner 4000

Nikolai 4000

"You first." offered Nikolai to the man out of manners and of strategy. Let your opponent play their hand first.

"Thank you." He drew his sixth card and nodded. He scratched his nose and picked out a card which he added to his field card slot. "I Play The Legendary Ocean."

Suddenly in the area of their arena some ruins appeared and the holograms made it appear as if they were underwater making everything look slightly wavy.Nikolai remembered the effect. All water monsters in his hand lost a level and his water monsters got 200 more attack points and defence points. The examiner continued.

"Now I summon Orca Mega-Fortress of Darkness (54/21002300/12001400) in attack mode." A huge killer whale swam out from one of the ruins to the guy's field. It had what seemed to be the top of a submarine welded into its back and more machine than creature. "Then I'll end my turn."

Nikolai drew his card and smiled at his hand. "_This Duel is basically over."_

"I'm sorry to say but your field card is, what the English word, is dead." He opened his own field card slot and inserted a card. "Eon Spaceway."

The sea disappeared and in its place was space. The stars covered the entire area in majestic triumph.

"Now I summon Eon Night Watcher (2/0/1000) in attack mode." Suddenly a rip appeared in the space. From another dimension came an alien. It was glowing and the colour of it was uncertain as it continued to change, like oil on water. It was small, around 5 ft high and its head was arrow like with a crest on its head like a triceratops. It had some form of armour, like liquid and had a cloak that was made of what appeared to be scales that flapped in an unseen, unfelt wind. It placed its arms in a gesture of martial art like preparation.

Up in the stands Kai watched the monster appear with narrowed eyes.

"_Eon? Sounds like my dads Neo-Spacians. Wonder if they're related somehow_?_ Better check with him_." He thought as he looked at the alien.

"Eon Spaceway gives my monster 500 points in any score I choose. I can even divide it between them! I'll give him a full 500 defence points I think. (ENW 10001500). Eon Spaceway has other effects but I don't think we'll get round to that today." He smiled.

"You're confident." The examiner narrowed his eyes.

"I should be. You don't even use that deck normally." Nikolai gestured at the guys duel disk. "It's an examiner deck so it is picked randomly meaning you need to learn how to use it on the move unlike myself who has used this deck for a good 5 years now."

The examiner gave a grin. "You know your stuff."

"Definitely." Smirked Nikolai as he moved his hair from his point of vision. "Attack Night Watcher!"

The alien flew forward with its fist raised and glowing brightly. The examiner laughed.

"That was not a very good move applicant." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes in an arrogant manner.

"Oh really." Nikolai called. "Take a look now."

The Night Watcher was flying straight at Orcas skull and Orca was powering the cannon inside its massive mouth up for a counterattack. The cannon fired and shot out at the weak monster. To the examiners surprise the alien shot back a bit then continued to plough through the beam of energy into the cannon, it threw a cosmic energy powered punch that caused the beast to explode in a mass of multicoloured light and futuristic space like noise.

"Night Watcher has ability. When he battles a monster with higher attack points than it he can swap the attack-defence scores of the target and himself so basically the two of those monsters battled with defence scores." Nikolai smirked as the examiner looked confused. "So, as the Yankees say how you like me now punk?"

Examiner: 3700

Nikolai: 4000

The examiner chuckled. "Very good monsieur. You caught me off guard."

"Of course I did." Nikolai set two cards and gestured for the Frenchman to take his turn.

Up in the stands Carissa watched with interest. She had never seen monsters like Nikolai's before. His attitude was also very useful; he acted in a confident manner which while everyone did in their duels; he was very truthful about it. He didn't overreact about his monsters capabilities, not much boasting, and lots of confidence. Back in the area the examiner was drawing his card.

"I activate Graceful Charity. " He then drew three cards and discarded two. He didn't seem pleased with the cards he had received. Nikolai noted this guy had a bad poker face. "I set a monster and then set these three cards, end turn."

A facedown monster and three spells or traps appeared on the field.Nikolai drew his card as fast as he could.

"_Gold again."_ He thought as he played his new monster. "I summon Eon Border Marine (4/1900/1450) in attack position."

A monster very similar to Night Watcher appeared from a dimensional rip. It ad a broader head in some sort of gasmask and it was wearing an outfit in the same fashion as Night Watchers armour except more combat orientated as spikes were on the forearms and legs, it was humanoid and around 6 foot tall but the shape of the body was different to a mans, more restricted in mass but there was still the vision of power.. It had some strange steel like gauntlets upon its clawed hands and an ammo pack or radio like device on its back which sported some symbols. It spoke out in a disorted voice that was muffled by the mask as it loaded its intimidating weapon.

"I'm going to give Border Marine 500 attack points (EBM 19002400) and then I'll have it attack your set monster." Border Marine placed its hands together and a blue like sphere powered up. A barrage of blue energy balls rocketed out with a screeching noise across the field. The Examiner quickly activates his set card.

"Mirror Force destroys all your attack position monsters." He explained as a magical shield appeared in front of his monster. However instead of reflecting the blast the shots travelled through it and hit the monster. For a brief moment a rain droplet with cartoony alligator (Toon Alligator) appeared with a pained expression.

"Border Marine is unaffected by all trap cards while he is in battle." Explained Nikolai. "Now I'll end my turn."

The examiner drew his next card nervously. Nikolai had him on the run now this early on and judging by the fact his two other set cards were still set he was in a bad spot. He only had two cards on hand as well so he had just about won. Nikolai crossed his arms. The examiner studied his hand and then slowly set about picking his move. After a while he stopped.

"I end my turn." He sighed in frustration before saying something in French to no one in particular.

Nikolai drew his card. "I activate quick play spell Galactic Ambitions." The card showed a man standing over a map of the stars with him piercing a knife through the centre of it. "Galactic Ambitions can only be played if a magic card with space, galaxy, cosmic, universe is in play. I pick one of my monsters and he can attack an extra time for every time space card in play and I chain that to my set card Cosmic Tragedy."

A card with a space station over a planet that was completely red was shown, o closer inspection the space station was aflame. The continuous trap card glowed pink for a moment.

"Cosmic Tragedy will now place a tragedy counter on all our cards when they come into play. Now they will be destroyed after they are used three times. Like my field card empowering 3 more monsters or my monster attacking using an effect." He declared as Galactic Ambitions began to glow. "Now Galactic Ambitions empowers Border Marine. Attack once!"

The Marine charged up and just as that happened a set card flipped on the examiners side.

"I activate Seawall. My trap will block your attack as long as I discard a water monster." He did so and a large grey stone wall jumped in the way of the blast of Border Marine.

"Attack again." The alien powered up again and fired some more shots off, another card activated.

"I use my second Seawall trap card." He discarded his last card and the wall reappeared. He had no cards now and he was starting to sweat.

"One more time." Declared Nikolai as Border Marine fired again.

This time they smashed into the guys' chest with a flash of pale blue and an electrical sound. The guy groaned and hunched over.

Examiner: 1300

Nikolai: 4000

"I'll end my turn now." As he crossed his arms Border Marine glowed pink and screamed out in its language before exploding into pixels due to Cosmic Tragedy.

The Examiner drew his card and then set his new spell or trap as quickly as he could. Nikolai gave a small cheer inside.

"_If he's that quick to set a card and he has no cards on hand then I've won."_

Kai looked on at the duel with a bored expression now. The examiner was new apparently and he wasn't the best of the bunch so Nikolai's soon to be victory left him with no impression of his soon to be opponent. As he leaned on the railings he sighed and he felt someone enter his presence, he moved his hand through his hair.

"Hi Jack." He smiled as his best friend approached him and stood next to him.

He looked a him. He was his age and slightly taller. He was adorned in the normal Obelisk Uniform except the front was open so his black shirt was visible. He was mixed race from a white mother and a black father and had short black hair with dull grey eyes. He had got into Duel Academy one of the easier ways, his father was Abraham Freeman the owner of a chain of supermarkets big in north America so he could afford to get in through a 'special understanding' between the school and the bank.

"Kai." He responded in a southern American accent. He scratched his nose and looked down at the duel arena. "So what did I miss?"

"Some punk." Answered the Prince of Games in a bored tone. "Thinks he has a chance of beating me. As if!"

Jack laughed. "What the fuck was he on? Anyway what deck does he have?"

"Eon."

"Eon? Like your dads Neo-Spacians?"

"I was thinking that." Kai nodded. "They have that space thing in common but they look very different and the naming is more intimidating."

"Huh?"

"What is more likely to scare a kid, Night Watcher or Aqua Dolphin?"

"Point taken. I still think your dads a wack job by the way."

"I know. I do too. I mean he adamantly believes a monster called Yooma or whatever lives in him, he is a reincarnated king and he went into space and met his monsters" Laughed Kai. "But still he is …my dad."

Silence for a few seconds. Jack stretched his arms and yawned, then he made an 'oh' and dug into his pocket, extracting a necklace made of gold with a pendant. It had some small delicate looking crystals hemmed into it in a curvy pattern like a snake's body.

"Managed to swipe this from a coat pocket while one of the Russian girls wasn't looking. Thought your sister might like it." Kai snatched it greedily and held it to the light looking at t with high interest.

"There is a Russian inscription on this." He looked at Jack. "My sister can't read Russian. I can't read Russian!"

"So." He shrugged his shoulders. "Just get an engraver to remove it. You have the cash."

"Point taken." He threw it up caught it and shoved it into his inner pocket.

Back in the due arena Nikolai was studying his hand after drawing. He would win in two turns or so.

"I activate the equip card Eon Aura-Neptune." As an activated it the body of Night Watcher turned from the oil like skin to a dark blue liquid like armour. "Neptune gives my Eon 300 attack points but Eon Spaceway is played so it goes to 600."

(ENW 0600)

"Attack him directly Night Watcher." The small alien flew forward powering up a punch again that glowed with blue energy. As it hit the examiner in the face it bounced back onto the field.

Examiner: 700

Nikolai: 4000

"I set a card and end turn." Nikolai gestured for the Frenchman to play up.

The man stood p and stretched. He drew his card "Pot of Greed."

He drew two cards and smiled. "Applicant, you lose. I activate firstly Giant Flood."

As he said this a massive wave came up behind the guy and crashed over the two duellists fields, forgetting they are in a space field card!, and washed away Night Watcher. When it cleared the field was clear.

"Giant Flood destroys all the monsters in play and in our hands applicant." Explained the man. "Now I play Monster Reborn."

He raised the card above his head and it glowed yellow brightly, engulfing the field. When it cleared Border Marine was on his field.

"Now I call upon spaceway to empower my marine." He cried.

(EBM 19002400)

"Attack! Space Shot!" He shouted while pointing at Nikolai as the Marine powered up an attack. It fired again and the electrical space energy crashed into his face.

He screamed out and fell to a knee clutching his face.

Examiner: 700

Nikolai: 1600

"Now I end my turn. Give up my friend." Laughed the now confident proctor.

Carissa watched with a nervous expression as Nikolai stood up.

"Come on Nikolai."

He looked out over the field at Border Marine and grinned.

"Good. This was getting too easy." He drew and as he did so a dark blue laser shot from his graveyard and into space. "I forgot. When an Eon Aura goes to the grave after activation it has an effect. It unlocks one of the spaceways effects."

As he explained a dark blue planet materialized in the space and began to revolve around the field.

"Neptune lets me draw until I hold four cards during my main phase." He drew his new cards and looked at them with a smirk. "I summon Eon-First Explorer (2/400/400) in attack mode."

An alien appeared but this was different. It was an Eon in a steel suit, none of it was visible however and 5'9 foot tall it was built with no combat weaponry (Think a Quarian from mass effect).

"Now here comes checkmate." He pointed at First Explorer and the defence score rose from Eon Spaceways effect.

(EFE 400900)

Then The space around them glowed pink and exploded into pixels revealing the arena once again.

"I see." Said the examiner quietly. "It was used thrice so Cosmic Tragedy destroyed it."

As he spoke all of a sudden both Eon monsters began to gargle and fell to the floor clutching their throats.

Nikolai chuckled. "When Eon Spaceway dies then all face up Eons die too."

The two monsters then fell twitching to the floor before breaking into pixels.

The examiner narrowed his eyes and then closed them in an amused manner.

"You've duelled circles around me today. I hope you are accepted."

"So do I." Nodded Nikolai with a grin. "Just theory to pass now."

The two had an understanding now.

"I'm going to win now. I play Time Reversal." A picture of space twisting around it and an astronaut watching in wonder as a clock began to break at the speed it was turning appeared on the field. "This card will randomly pick one turn from before this one and reset the field to that time at the cost of 1000 life points"

Examiner: 700

Nikolai: 600

Nikolai itched nervously as all the cards in play disappeared and the card began to shake. Then slowly the field materialized like ghosts. He smiled.

Eon Night Watcher with Eon-Aura Neptune The examiner with a blank field. Wasting no time the Eon attacked making the black man stumble back a bit from the powered punch.

Examiner: 100

Nikolai: 600

Nikolai silently ended his turn. The proctor drew and shrugged his shoulders.

"My luck. I draw a level 8 monster." He chuckled. "End turn."

"Well that is that." Responded Nikolai as he slipped a card from his deck and pointed at the man. Night Watcher flew forward and delivered one more punch making the man fall backwards with a groan.

Examiner: 0

Nikolai: 600

Nikolai gave a fist of victory as he left the stage and returned to his seat. Hopefully he was in it now. Above Kai and Jack watched him.

"This Russian has some ok tricks up his sleeve." Pointed out Jack.

"Nothing spectacular though." Countered Kai. "I tell you Jack. He gets to the academy me and you are going to have to show him how it's done."

"Is that before or after I'm a Kaiser."

"When I am Jack." Smiled Kai. "You forget."

"Whatever." Lazily replied the millionaire heir.

Carissa meanwhile walked over to Nikoali.

"Good job." She gave him a thumb up.

"It was too easy. I need challenge." He replied in a bored tone. "Still I'm off to the hotel now."

Kaiba corp. had hired a hotel for all the applicants here for the night as the results were analyzed by the staff. Bearing in mind his fatigue he felt it wise to get some rest.

"Ok." Replied Carissa. "I'll win ad meet you there."

"You better. I like you." Waved Nikolai as he left the arena.

As he walked he someone called out.

"Nekorovich!"

He turned and saw Kai and Jack.

"What you want?"

"Just wanted to introduce you to a friend of mine. Jack Freeman." He approached Nikoali with Jack until they were very close and almost hemming him in.

Jack nodded.

"And that affects me how?" Asked Nikolai with attitude.

"Just thought you might wan to see your future Kaisers."

"Yeah right." Nikolai attempted to walk off but the two walked with him.

"Listen Nikolai I'm giving you one last chance to apologise."

"No thanks. I'm good enough without needing to be afraid of you."

Jack gave a chuckle and then turned serious, pointing straight at Nikolais face with a threatening expression.

"Don't make us put out Decks on and show you how it's done. You wouldn't last five minutes."

"Want to put that to the test." Nikolai took a step forward.

Kai pulled Jack away easily.

"Jack easy! The guys on crack or something. We'll wipe the floor with him when we get to the island."

Then slowly the two returned to the arena.Nikolai made a throat cutting sign.

In response Kai gave the middle finger. A rivalry had begun before day one.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Day One

_**Chapter 2: Day One**_

Nikolai opened his eyes slowly as the digital alarm clock went off loudly next to his head. He leaned over and turned off the siren like sound and then rolled onto his back so he was looking at the ceiling. He yawned and looked out of the window near his bed to see the Eiffel Tower in the distance and the overcast sky of Paris. He was in his hotel room which he had been to since the examination; it was large and comfy with a bedroom/living area together and a very modern bathroom as well as a small kitchen where basic food was stored. He had wandered about the city with Carissa after dropping his things off, sightseeing and then proceeded to get back where he slept at 7. It was now 25 minutes to 10 in the morning. He groaned and got out of the bed. He was in his trousers from the day before and that was it so his chest was exposed. Not extremely muscular but not wimpy weak. Just average. He then proceeded to get ready, getting washed and dressed. Flicking through the TV channels, which were all in French, bored him so he decided to go for a walk. He left his room and headed down to sparsely decorated hallway on his way to Carissa's room. He needed someone to talk to. There was nothing to do. Sure everyone had a Psp V2 or something but he was not very wealthy. When he arrived he knocked on the door and heard someone groan on the inside.

"Hmm?" Came a groan from inside.

"It's Nikolai."

"Hang on." He heard movement and then the door opened.

Carissa was in some jeans and a grey shirt with a bowel of cornflakes in her arms with a spoon. She unlike him had brought extra clothes.

"Morning." She smiled as she prepared to take a spoonful. "Nice sleep?"

"Ok." He nodded. "Just anxious for my results."

He rubbed his hands together. All this waiting was playing on his nerves. His results would be given to him at around midday apparently and that was too long for him.

"You're fine." She spoke through munching. "They'd be mad not to let you in. Come in."

She moved out of the way as he walked inside to a similar room of his own as she shut the door and sat down on the bed.

"I forgot." She suddenly spoke out. "Where'd you get those cards? I've never heard of them before. Eon."

"Long story." He chuckled. "So…what now."

Carissa shrugged her shoulders. "The waiting game I think they call it."

Nikolai nodded. "Can I have some breakfast please?"

In his room Kai wet through his deck and changed his cards from his extra pile. He was just reading his deck as he wanted to make a BIG impression when he got to Duel Academy KC. He had been up 2 hours now and he was just relaxing. He had his blazer he had his membership. There was nothing to worry about. He nodded as he flicked through his final deck. It seemed up to scratch. He opened up his deck holder on his belt and replaced it, clearing away his other cards into his tin. He stood up and stretched. The day was beginning and his empire would be built today. He took out a wallet from his inner pocket and flipped it open showing a family picture from around 7 years ago. It showed them in a garden under a tree. His dad had a goofy smile and was tussling his hair while he smiled with thumbs up in a casual way. His mother was next to him sitting down on a bench. Her blonde hair almost shimmering in the sun, next to her in a wheelchair with a was a small girl, she had the same sort of hair as her dad with grey eyes and a calm face bearing a small smile which was hidden underneath an oxygen mask attached to a barrel on the back of the wheelchair. Kai sighed. His sister had not been well back then but luckily she had recovered from the disease around 3 years ago. He flipped it shut and let out a breath.

_Two Hours Later_

Nikolai sat in his room. In a few minutes he would be getting his results. He had been staring at the door for a while now. For the moment it was all that mattered. He had got back 5 minutes ago due to the forms being delivered to their rooms and he wanted his as soon as possible. For 10 more minutes he sat there until an envelope was slid under the door. Nikolai felt his heart quicken as he picked it up and ripped it open. The letter inside fell to the floor as he shook it out. The KC logo visible on the corner with the stamped writing that had no personal touch whatsoever. He scanned through the pleasantries to the part that meant everything.

He saw he read he cheered.

He had been accepted with an 85 score on his theory and a high recommendation on his duel test. He headed over to the table beside the bed and turned on his mobile phone and texted his mum.

**I Passed! See you soon!**

**Nikolai**

He then bathed in the sense of self relish at his achievement. He was going to the premier Duel Academy in the world in an all paid for package, courtesy of the International Youth Duelling Fund that had scouted him. He opened the window and breathed in. The world seemed a better place already.

An hour later the passers were packed in a plane at the airport again and were ready to take off to the Pacific. Hours upon hours passed as Nikolai just stared out of the window. They were heading to a small island first to get to a helicopter which they were taking to the academy due to their not being a plane landing strip there. It was only a mile across with a small outpost where a KC building was situated for air travel to the island. It was uneventful except that Nikolai did not see Carissa at all. He felt sad. Maybe she hadn't passed. Forgetting that however he just sat and looked out of the helicopter window as they left the small island that was a jumping station. The sea was bright sapphire blue that almost blinded him from the sun light reflected and then he saw t. In the distance the island. The iconic structure of the main building, the deep green forests and the hulking brown volcano with smoke steadily billowing out. The pilots' voice then crackled over.

"This is your pilot speaking. It is another beautiful day on Academy Island, we are beginning our descent, please strap yourself in and enjoy your stay." The pilot stopped speaking ad the helicopter began to descend to the helicopter site that rose from the ground up like a corkscrew. As it landed down the helicopter pad began to head down into a steel building with them on it. They were inside some sort of hanger as there were other copters there and some jeeps with men in white uniforms running about. Finally they stopped and everyone got their stuff together and began to exit the plane. When they got out they were greeted by a man in a purple obelisk blue uniform.

"Greetings everyone." He spoke in a deep American accent. "I'm Mr Hawk and welcome to Kaiba Corp Duel Academia. We will now issue uniforms. If you will follow me we will get you suited up and then we'll go from there. Obelisks follow Mr Scott over there to the main auditorium. Now everyone Follow me."

Nikolai saw the already suited Obelisks heading off with another man to where they would ultimately head. He walked with Hawk and looked at the crowd. Carissa was still missing. Now he just sighed. She had obviously failed. He felt annoyed as she was his only friend really here that he knew of. They headed across the hanger and to a small door which everyone passed through into large office with two desks manned by some women in smart suits and two doors behind them in the corner with male and female signs on them.

"Ok everyone stand behind the line." He indicated a white line on the floor. "And when your name is called you head to your desk, pick up your essentials and get changed in the back rooms. Then you wait for me." He nodded at the two women and they looked down at their papers."

"Stevens, Roger." Called the first women and then it began.

Nikolai waited a while watching as the three women handed uniforms to disappointed and happy students. One desk handed Osiris red out and the other Ra Yellow. Blue was already in the school so there wasn't any point in that, you could only be blue in year one if you were connected or went to prep school first. Eventually Nikolai was called up to the Ra yellow desk. He felt pleased; this was the highest rank he could achieve here at this time. The women grabbed a plastic see-through package where the uniform, sheen and clean yellow, was seen.Ontop of the parcel was a small PDA with the Duel academy symbol on.

"Welcome to Duel Academy." Smiled the women as he left t get changed.

When he the boys room everyone was either getting changed or socialising. He took a set and got changed into his uniform. The grey trousers felt slightly tight around the legs but that wasn't a problem. He did not put on the yellow boots but instead opted for his black, worn trainers. Yellow shoes were too far for him. As he sat there he rolled up the sleeves past his elbow revealing his black shirt and keeping the front open, it felt better now, he had an identity. He then placed his clothes messily into the plastic bag and back into his baggage. He then decided to take a look at the PDA. He opened it up and then after a minute of configuring it to him he began to look around on it. He researched school events that would happen later that year and the school duel tables for who was the best. At the moment, seeded form last year, it was a third year called Hiro Tanaka from Japan and found himself and everyone else with him ranked at the bottom according to dorm and then alphabetical order, this grudgingly put Kai above him. After a while Hawk returned.

"Ok people back out." He led the way with the girls who were already waiting outside to a small bus. They all got in them and it drove them away from the big steel building ad into the jungle. It was brimming with sound and colour Nikolai had only seen on television. Russia was very grey in comparison. After leaving the jungle they came to the front of the main building, majestically towering over them with its 4 domes and spires. It was deserted from other pupils because, as his PDA told him, due to it being Day One everyone got a day off as things were compiled together meaning them.

"Ok people bags stay on bus. We'll deliver them later today." Declared hawk as people got ready to get out.

Nikoali dumped his bag down and reluctantly parted with it.

They entered the lobby and looked around at the wide open area. Ahead he saw the Obelisks standing around, laughing and talking, he saw Kai chatting to Jack animatedly and wondered what he was talking about. Hawk led the group away down a few corridors with windows for walls, giving a beautiful view of the islands beaches and jungles. Eventually they got to a door and Hawk opened it up revealing a large auditorium. It could seat a couple hundred people and already was seating some. Applicants from the other testing areas all over the globe were already seated randomly around the area Nikolai headed down to the front and took one of the few remaining seats next to the left wall, by an Osiris Red with more piercing on his face than skin. As everyone sat down and began to talk making the noise level rise a man walked out onto the main stage in front of the television displaying the DA symbol. He was black and in his early 50's with some light wrinkles and short black hair with glasses in front of dark eyes. He was in the maroon coloured blazer of the Chancellor of the school. When he spoke in what is a South African accent that was very deep.

"Welcome." He said as he took his place in front of the podium where he began to speak. "My name is Principal Simon Gaudin.You have accepted into the premier duelling school which is itself an achievement but there is along way to go yet. You will need knowledge, skill, luck and strategy to succeed in the duelling world. Here we will give you the facilities but you must go that one step further to become a true duellist."

He continued for another ten minutes talking about merit and other virtues needed and how he expected everything from them or they should leave now. Then he got onto the tables and Nikolai got interested.

"In this school there is a system of choosing our best duellist. The league system. By winning a duel anywhere against a faculty staff, student or approved visitor you will get 3 points. Drawing gets one and losing gets nothing. The Kaiser of the school is chosen doing this and leaving school with this title is most advantageous pupils."

He scanned the crowd.

"I will now introduce the dorm heads." He cleared his throat and placed and arm up to his left.

"I will begin with our male dorm leaders. Please applaud Professor Zahid Guner from Turkey."

A 30 years old man in a red version of the obelisk uniform came out to applause. He was around 6ft tall, thin and had an Arabic appearance with beady eyes and curly black hair and a short black goatee. He seemed slightly shy as he shifted constantly.

"Professor Avram Hess from Israel."Nikoali watched as dorm leader came out with a friendly grin and a wave to the crowd. He was round 30 and in a yellow version of Professor Guners uniform. He was a lot shorter, only around 5ft 9 and a little plumper with brown hair and a crooked nose as if broken with tanned skin. His grey eyes came upon Nikolai ad he gave him a friendly thumb up.

"Nice uniform." He commented in a Middle Eastern accent.

"Professor Lok Feng from Taiwan" a Chinese man in a blue uniform with what looked like Napoleonic shoulder pads strode out with his hands behind his back in a powerful fashion. He was Chinese and average height but muscular build. His black hair combed back and his face betraying no emotion. This man seemed cold as he had a superior look on his face as he looked over his dorm members.

"Now our female faculty. Of the Osiris Red female dorm we have Professor Harriet Law from Canada." A woman came out with her blonde hair in a tight bun and some red lipstick. She was in a female uniform except the colours were reversed from the normal scheme and she had a red jacket blazer on the top. She looked very secretarial.

"Professor Laura Lee from the USA." A second woman in a similar set of clothing I the Ra colours came out. She was around 5ft 10 and had a round face. She looked like she had American Indian heritage from her reddish skin and her black hair was tied back in a long ponytail.

"And Finally Professor Marie Fontaine from France." a young 20 year old women in an almost fully white version of the previous uniform approached which had blue around the edges. She looked mixed race and had her arms crossed behind her. She had serious look about her like Feng and surveyed the area with her green eyes as she brushed a hand through her brown boy-short hair. The last applause quietened down. Gaudin began to speak again.

"Now your timetable is in your rooms which will be on a slip of paper in your jacket pocket, I hope the obelisk have remembered it as many of our previous years have taken it out and left it behind." He gazed over the blue students; the majority had a disappointed look on their face. "If that is the case simply see your dorm head. It will be slightly inconvenient for them but necessary." He then began to step down. "When you leave use the map on your PDA to get to your dorms. Today is your day off so enjoy it. Thank you."

Everyone clapped as he left the stage and the rest of the staff followed him, chatted to some of their students or headed away on their own. Professor Feng couldn't seem to leave fast enough as could Guner who looked intimidated by all the people.Nikolai stood up and slowly pushed through the crowd. When he finally got out of the herd of people into the corridor he found the map on his PDA and headed toward his dorm near the west coast of the island. On his way through the forested path realized how lucky he was to be here of all places. North School was closest to him and he had originally chosen to go there however due to overcrowding there he settled on Duel Academy. He thought of his home near the mouth of the river and his parents the day he had been accepted into the scholarship program two years ago. He had come along way so far. After 10 minutes he got to his dorm. It was like a mansion. Big, yellow and in your face. It was intricately decorated and had marble statues of the God Card, Winged Dragon of Ra dotted around the area. A bit behind it was from what Nikolai could see, a small beach. He grinned at the thought of spending a few hours having a swim or just lazing about. He reached into his inner pocket and took out the paper telling him a lot he didn't need to know. He found his room. 42A. He entered the lobby and felt a cooling system wipe the sweat on his forehead back. It was like a grand hotel on the inside. After having a good stare at what he saw he took a left at the staircase majestically rising in the middle in front of him, impressed with it all, North School looked crap in comparison now. He carried on past paintings and statues until he reached his room. He stared at the door and read the notice.

**42A**

**Adam Harper (1)**

**Nikolai Nekorovich (1)**

"_I have a roommate."_ He thought as he read it. _"First year too by the look of it."_

He placed his hand on the handle and turned it to reveal a room similar to his hotel room earlier. It was large with an ensuite bathroom and 2 beds on opposite wall of the room with a window taking up a lot of the opposite wall to him and a large TV near a shelf. A table was next to the door as was a cupboard. As he closed the door a guy walked out of the bathroom. He wiped his nose and looked at him slightly surprised.

"Sorry." He responded in a heavy English accent. "Didn't hear you come in. Adam Harper."

He extended his hand. Nikoali felt uneasy. Adam the swapped his hands, wiping the other snot covered one on his shirt.Nikoali took it with a chuckle.

"Nikoali Nekorovich." He said.

Adam was around his height and build. He had his uniform buttoned up however. His hair was dark auburn and was tied in a small ponytail. His hazel eyes were shifting constantly and his round face seemed friendly enough.

"A Russian." he commented interestedly. "Thought North school would have been your choice."

"Was but full."

"Oh well." He yawned and threw himself onto the left bed. "This ones mine Nik, you got the funny one."

Nikoali sat down on his bed and saw what he meant; it had one of the springs inside sticking up making lying down uncomfortable if you were on it.

"Where you from?" Asked Adam in a content voice.

"Archangel, its 700 Kilometres outside St Petersburg." Answered Nikolai as he made himself comfortable.

Adam let out a breath. "That's as long as Britain almost mate! I'm from Manchester."

Nikoali nodded and he laughed. "You don't talk much."

"English isn't my strong point." Nikolai sighed.

"Should be. You are good at it." He laughed.

Nikoali sat up and stretched. "So what are we going to do?"

Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Could check the rest of the island? Or we could go see if the upper years are duelling. Or we could duel!."

Nikolai thought it over. "Ok I'll duel you but don't cry when I win."

Adam smirked. "Not on your life. I'm the champ in Manchester my Eastern European friend. Let's get to the Ra Arena. I'll lead the way."

"Just one thing Adam. I'll go easy on you." Adam shook his head.

He flipped open his PDA and checked a route. He then got up extracted his new duel disk from behind his pillow. Nikolai looked underneath his pillow and found a new one for him. He felt a surge of appreciation as he snapped it on his arm with a satisfying click. It was a very up to date model, he would customise it later.

"It's first left…or right." Adam mumbled as he travelled out and down the hallway and further into the dormitory, passing the occasional third year or second year. Eventually they came to large arena adorned with the crest of Ra with stands for viewers that went up as they went, It was large enough to host a large match but nothing world class. Adam snapped his PDA shut and headed over to one end of the central arena as did Nikolai.

"Well who goes first Adam?" Asked Nikolai.

"I'll go." Answered Adam as he shuffled his deck and placed it in his duel disk, Nikolai did the same and they were ready to begin

Adam: 4000

Nikolai: 4000

"I will take me turn thank you." Said Adam as he drew his card. "I will begin by summoning The Doctor of Everything #1(1/400/400)."

As he summoned his monster an old man in a black Edwardian looking suit with a white shirts collar peeking over the top. His face was that of an old balding man with his white hair combed back with a face that had a kindness about it but also a hint of ruthlessness and determination. Adam flicked through his deck.

"Now my Doctor has a special ability which only triggers when his is summoned. I can now search my deck for a very special field card." He took out the card he was looking for, shuffled his deck and then placed the card into his field zone. "Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to 'The TARDIS!'"

Suddenly a strange wheezing groaning grinding like sound began and behind Adam something began to appear. A blue box. It slowly materialized and Nikolai saw it had the words police box written on it. Then after appearing the doors opened, Adam and the doctor got pulled inside it almost immediately by some unknown force as did Nikolai. He wasn't actually moving, just clever holographics. As Nikolai entered the doors shut and he looked around. It was bigger on the inside. All over was a white like metal with a honeycomb design roundels on the walls and a small futuristic door behind him where he arrived through o top of a grey shiny floor. In the middle of the room was a panel with some odd buttons and switches in numerous colours.

"I set a card now to end up. Your move Nik." Chuckled Adam.

Nikolai drew his card and frowned slightly. "I set a card and end my turn."

The back of a card appeared in front of Nikolai. He did have monsters but they were too high a level to summon now. He was stuck at the moment. As he thought to himself Adam was beginning his turn, he smiled.

"I'll have my Doctor finish this up by attacking you directly." The Doctor walked over quite relaxed with determined look on his face then he raised his arm back over a shoulder ready to hit Nikolai's. As quick as he could Nikolai played his trap. The common card known as Negate Attack flipped up causing the old man to frown and proceed back to his field. "End turn."

Nikolai drew his card and found a monster. "I set a monster and end my turn."

A horizontal card which a defensive monster was hidden under appeared on Nikolais field. He made a gesture for Adam to take a turn which he did.

"Time to speed this duel up. I activate Regeneration!" all of a sudden the Doctor of Everything spasms and grabbed the consol in the centre of the room for support. "My Doctor of everything is getting on a bit so it's time for a new model. Regeneration removes him from play and lets me summon his next form anywhere he exists at the cost of 500 life points."

Adam: 3500

Nikolai: 4000

Adam took out his deck to search while The Doctor suddenly stood up and spread his arms and screamed. He lit up like he was on fire; his voice slowly began to change as did his height. Then it stopped and a new figure was there. He was younger and scruffier with brown chequered trousers and blue shirt with a black jacket. His hair was a one of the Beatles but scruffier. His eyes had more daring about them than the original. He cricked his neck and looked at his hands with interest, heading over to the control panel he looked at his reflection and grinned.

"Meet Doctor of Everything#2 (2/800/800)" proclaimed Adam. The doctor nodded at Nikolai and Nikolai narrowed his eyes.

Then Adam flipped open his deck again and drew out two cards however he held them so he couldn't see what cards he had picked.

"What are you doing?" Asked Nikolai.

"Oh I forgot to say. When One of My monsters takes a new form I can add two random cards from my deck." He flipped them round and nodded with satisfaction. "Too bad_"_

"_These cards he is using. They're so weird. Doctor of Everything? TARDIS? What the hell is this western shit?"_ Thought Nikolai as he scanned the field before him.

Adam shrugged his shoulders and threw an arm forward.

"Doctor Attack now!" The man nodded and did the same as the previous Doctor but with more of a bounce in his step, when he got to Nikolais set monster he kicked it up with his foot causing it to flip and Eon-First Explorer (2/400/400) which flew backwards with a cry in pain before exploding into pixels. Then as Adam got ready to end his turn two cards disappeared in a flash of light from his hand.

"First Explorers flip effect discards two cards from you. Sorry Adam." Smirked Nikolai as Adam grimaced at his two card hand.

"Oh well, can't keep them all. Your move." Chuckled Adam as he reached back and began to fiddle with his ponytail.

Nikolai drew and smiled. "I think we can get along Adam."

"Yeah no reason why not." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Still while we're duelling there is no way on Gods Green Earth I'm going to let you win."

Nikolai laughed. "I beg to differ."

Adam nodded and stopped holding his ponytail. "Let's settle it then."

Nikolai nodded. "I activate Eon Particle."

As a activated it two strange looking Atoms Appeared. They were the average atom model but coloured like an Eon with red lightning all over it.

"Eon Particle brings two Particle tokens out (1/0/0) for one turn. They can't attack and are unaffected by all spells, effect and traps." Nikolai picked out another card. "Perfect tribute material."

He slapped down a new monster and the two of them disappeared in a flash of light that blinded the field in red light. After it cleared an Eon was standing their. It was in brightly coloured robes that covered the whole body but were more of a warrior dress as they allowed a lot of movement. (Think Jedi robes). The head was thin and sharp looking with some high tech goggles on and in its two hands sat a large futuristic cannon like gun that had a set of three spikes at the end instead of an open barrel that were connected and the centre where they connected glowed a blue light that crackled with a ominous noise and light. Interesting considering the other Eon's had no armaments.

"See Eon-Doom Trooper (8/3300/2800)." Declared Nikolai with an extravagant flash of his arm.

"Cool." Answered Adam.

"Now Doom Trooper has two effects. The first is that he cannot attack the first turn he is summoned and is unable to be special summoned."

"Good times."

"However he can destroy one of your monsters and spell or trap cards as soon as he does get to the field."

"Bad times." Cringed Adam.

"Oh yes British." Smiled Nikolai in slightly broken English. "Now I'll destroy your Doctor and the Tardis."

The Doom Trooper flung his gun up, flicked a small switch on the side that was aiming at blue to green causing the glow at the end of the gun to go out and become green again. He aimed forward as a sight flicked up and then powered up. After a few seconds he fired 2 lightning like bolts out at The Doctor and the TARDIS console. Adam however had a different idea. He touched a button on his Duel Disk and his set card flipped.

"Sorry but the TARIS has to survive, I activate my Heart of the TARDIS trap card." A trap card showing a silhouetted man against a Tardis console that looked different to the current one stood against a light that was blinding and wispy blue like beams waving outwards. "Heart of the Tardis stops my field card heading to the graveyard and as a bonus lowers one of your monsters attack points by 700."

The console in the centre opened and the same light and wisps came out, the bolt dissolved in mid air and Doom Trooper stared mesmerized by the light, the wisps then slowly embraced him and as they did so his stature changed, he grew shorter and the skin of his flesh changed too, less worn and younger. Fresher, but weaker. (EDT 30002600)

The second bolt however hit the Doctor in the chest with a crackling sound. The Doctor cried in pain and fell back a few feet. His chest was burnt and raw, his face weakened. Then however he somehow dragged himself up and threw his arms out, the same regeneration happened as before and he began to change.

"What!" asked Nikolai with wide eyes.

Adam laughed. "Got ya. Doctor of Everything has an ability that states whenever he is sent to the graveyard I can remove his form and bring on his next incarnation. So my monster is theoretically invincible."

"Theoretically." Growled Nikolai.

When the light subsided another new man stood before him. He had a set of old looking clothes on that had some dandy sleeves on the end upon a green suit. His hair was puffed up blonde and his face was calm and collected.

"Doctor of Everything#3 (3/1200/1200)." Summarised Adam plainly.

Nikolai shrugged his shoulders. "I end my turn."

Adam drew his next card and smirked wickedly. "Too bad Nik. I just got my last trump card."

He inserted his last card and a new monster came out. It was an old looking man with a worried look on his face. He was in Victorian red petticoat with black pinstriped trousers and a white shirt of the period. He had white hair and a worried look about him while he fumbled with a small strange looking fobwatch in his hand.

"Professor Yana (1/100/200) is here now. But not for long. Watch." The Professor looked around in amazement at the TARDOIS and then as he did so his watch began to glow. An orange like glow that seeped out. The Professor looked down at it and slowly opened it. Voices came out of various men as the energy slowly seeped into him. As it dissaparated he threw the watch away. The man before him looked far more confident with a darkness in his eyes. A rage but also a collectiveness that made him all the more threatening. The Third Doctor scowled as this transformed man stood before him and Yana looked at him with a glint of anger.

"When Yana is in play with the TARDIS I can remove him from play in order to summon The Master of All Things#5 (5/3000/2700), bit of a jump but so what I'm not complaining, As you can see The Doctor and the Master don't seem to like each other but the love is there really…not in a homosexual way of course. And I'm babbling. Great." Adam let out a breath and Nikolai shook his head with a grin. "Back on track now. TARDIS gives me another 2 cards. Due to Yana's transformation acting as regeneration. "

Adam collected his next two cards.

"Now I activate my next Regeneration card!"

Adam: 3000

Nikolai: 4000

Then The Master fell to a knee clutching his stomach as once again one of Adams monsters changed. The new man was hunched over the console and in a black suit with trousers and a black tie. He pulled himself up and stretched. He had smart brown hair and a manic look in his eyes, he wore a smile that was full of madness and power. The Third Doctor shifted stance as the new monster strode back to his spot.

"Now I'm showcasing the Masters highest calibre of incarnation. The manic and mighty, Master of All Things#6(6/3600/3300)." Adam sad with a sweep of his arm while the Master made a mocking bow. The doctor just rolled his eyes. "Now I'll have him attack doom trooper thingy."

The Master then walked over to Doom Trooper who was over 2ft taller then him and looked the alien in the face with interest, then without looking away him tapped the gun he was holding, the gun shot out into Doom Trooper foot with a crackle which caused him to explode.

Adam: 3000

Nikolai: 3000

"Now Doctor#3 attacks you directly." The Third Doctor walked over and made karate like chop into Nikolais neck making him fall to the side holding his neck in pain.

Adam: 3000

Nikolai: 1800

Nikolai got up stretching his neck as Adam crossed his arms, signifying his end turn.

"Weird monsters you have Adam." Commented Nikolai as he drew his next card. He grinned at it. "Outstanding. I play the spell card Eon Time Twister."

A spell showing a tornado tearing through space, in the Eon colours was displayed on Nikolai's field.

"Time Twister reverses what happened last turn at the cost my skipping the next draw phase." Explained Nikolai as Doom Trooper span out of a multicoloured tornado that flew from the card. He clicked his gun and took a step at the Master who shook his head with a grin.

"Now I can finally go on the offensive." Nikolai swept his arm at the Third Doctor, Doom Trooper aimed at the man and fired massive blast of blue energy. The beam crashed into the Doctor who flew back with a scream.

Adam: 1600

Nikolai: 2200

The Third Doctor once again began to transform, this time on the floor where he lay. When it subsided a man in a long brown overcoat with a brightly coloured scarf and curly brown hair lay there. He pulled himself up and inspected himself with a grin. His face was full of mystery with a look of understanding in them.

"Doctor of Everything#4 (4/1600/1600)." Said Adam dryly, he was searching through his deck for his new two cards. He made a fist as he got his first card but shook his head at the second.

Nikolai set a card carefully behind Doom Trooper and shook his head at Adam to take his turn.

"Get In there!" he cried as he slapped the new one down. "My third and final Regeneration card!"

He lifted it aloof and just as he did so, almost cruelly, the newly born Doctor began to change again. Now a man in a cream coloured jacket and trousers with red lining on the edges stood before him. He had a hat on his head that looked like something a cricket umpire wore except in the red and cream colour scheme, including a jumper that was cream too. Strangely he had a stick of celery attached to the breast of the jacket. His face was slightly chubby and his blonde hair was swept back in a clean fashion above his serious looking face albeit with a playful look in his eyes. All in all he appeared to be an English gentleman umpiring a game of cricket.

"Doctor of Everything#5 (5/2000/2000)" introduced Adam as the 5th incarnation was born while getting his next cards, giving him a hand of an impressive 10.

"Now to move this duel up some more. I activate my field equip card." Adam inserted it ontop of TARDIS in his duel disk.

"A what!?" exclaimed Nikolai.

"Field equip cards." Repeated Adam. "It's a type of spell that adds on effects to a spell card and is placed in the field card zone. Don't blame you. They are relatively new. Anyways where was I? Ah yes. I activate the field equip card…"

As he inserted it the TARDIS suddenly lurched about throwing them and the monster around the room, as it stopped they were suddenly ejected from the TARDIS I the same manner they landed in. The Tardis floated behind Adam now but he wasn't looking at that. As Nikolai looked around he gasped. They were on some alien world. The sky was a burnt orange with two burning suns in the sky and all around snow fell like pieces of the suns. Mountains surrounded them in majestic fashion however the most dominating factor was far to the right of the field. A city. Domed in glass with a steel citadel rising up with many towers surrounding it and some sort of spacecraft flying within. The Master and The Doctor looked around the place with sadness, the doctor even shedding a tear.

"Welcome to the Filed equip card; Planet Gallifrey." Adam explained smugly as he admired the scenery. "Amazing what holograms can do these days. Anyhow back on track. Gallifrey has two effects. A: the Doctor, The Master and all other listed monsters on the card gain 500 attack points."

(MOA6 36004100)

(DOE5 20002500)

"And B, once per turn I can add a card naming one of these monsters at the cost of missing my draw phase." Adam explained smugly. "I'll be using that effect now to add Sonic Screwdriver to my hand. Which I'll be placing in The Doctors."

He slipped a card from his deck and added it to his duel disk. In the Doctors hand was now a small metal rod with a blue LED like end. The Doctor flipped the switch ad it lit up ad emitted buzzing noise. He nodded in acceptance and twirled it in his fingers.

"Sonic Screwdriver gives him two abilities also. Firstly he gets 300 attack and defence points.

(DOE5 atk 25002800)

( dec 20002300)

"And secondly, he is immune to all your magic and trap cards that target him specifically." Nikolai growled as The Doctor gave a tip of his hat to him in a patronising fashion. "Now I attack Doom Trooper with the Doctor of Everything!"

The doctor aimed his screwdriver at Doom Trooper, it buzzed and as it did so the gun in Doom Troopers hands lit up and began to glow red as if it were to explode. Then Nikolai activated his set card.

"Trap card activates, Dimensional Tunnel-Mirror Gate." Laughed Nikolai as his trap flipped.

Suddenly in a flash of blue light The Doctor was on Nikolai's field and Doom Trooper on Adam's.

"I know this card." Commented Adam as he began to fiddle with his ponytail again. "It swaps our monsters in a battle for a turn."

"Correct." Replied Nikolai as The Doctor attacked Doom Trooper on Adams field. The gun heated up again and then exploded sending out light like tendrils in the multicoloured look of an Eon.

Adam: 1400

Nikolai: 2200

"Doesn't matter." Countered Adam. "The Master can clear this up."

The master then walked over to The Doctor until they were face to face. They stared at each other hard until without warning he punched him in the face, causing him to crumble to the floor.

Adam: 1400

Nikolai: 900

"I'll now set two cards and end my turn." Sighed Adam as he sent his hand size down to 6. "Damm, the Doctors dead."

Nikolai grinned as he removed a card from his hand, he didn't draw due to Time Twister. "Too bad Adam. Too bad. I activate Pot of Greed, a little something I've been keeping for a time like this."

He drew two cards and then his eyes lit up. "This duel is basically over comrade."

He slid in a magic card. "Spell reproduction activates. I discard two cards and add one spell card to my hand from my graveyard."

He slid a monster and a spell into the cemetery and pulled out Eon Particle which he activated immediately. Two of the strange atoms appeared again and then flashed out.

"I tribute those atoms for the last monster in my hand. My ace card, Eon-Force Devil (8/3450/3150) in attack position."

Then a new monster twirled out gracefully from one of the Eon rip holes made in time and space. This new one was large and like a demon, but from space. It had ornate liquid like armour and flexible but sharp claws adorning its body as well as a head in some sort of plain steel helmet with burning eyes that pierced your soul in a chilling manner when it starred at you. Its liquid like wings blazed outwards 6ft in both directions. It then turned to the sky and roared a mournful scream.

"Force Devil will now activate his effect. He counts the card in our hands first. ..8." As he said the number Force Devil cried out again and before their eyes grew up around 6 ft, dwarfing them.

"He gains 100 attack points per card in both our hands you see."

(EFD 34504250)

"However one downside is that every time he attacks I discard a card." He sent one of his last two cards to the cemetery and as he did so force Devil it placed its hands together and made some strange hand signals, fluorescent particles from the air then focused in on his hands until a multicoloured ball of energy sat In his claws, then he punched his head forward and roared, the ball of energy cascaded like a beam at The Master who was backing up in fear. It hit him and a deafening explosion echoed out.

Adam: 1200

Nikolai: 900

"End Turn." Smirked Nikolai at the empty field of Adam. "Looks like I've turned this around hey?No Master of All Things number 7?"

"Sure have Nik and no. He has a maximum unfortunately" Grumbled Adam as he drew a card and sighed. "I set a monster and end my turn."

Nikolai drew his next card and shook his head. "This is over I believe. I summon Eon-Border Marine (4/1900/1450)."

The familiar combat soldier of the Eons stormed out next to the massive Force Devil.

"Attack Marine." Said Nikolai quietly.

The marine powered up and shot off 3 energy shots at the set monster, they hit home and displayed a small robot with a faint similarity to a dog before being destroyed.

"Now I discard a card to allow Force Devil to finish the duel." He discarded and Force Devil repeated the attack pattern, cannoning a shot at Adam, just before it made contact however Adam flipped a trap card up.

"Call of the Haunted revives The Master of Everything#6." The familiar man appeared from a ghostly mist before taking another hit from the space demon. His facial expression seemed very sunken and Nikolai swore he mumbled not again to himself.

Adam: 1000

Nikolai: 900

"I'm still alive and kicking Nik." Nodded Adam although Nikolai was sure he had little left to throw at this time. "Listen to me I sound Bloody American."

"That is not good my friend." Laughed Nikolai. Russians and Americans did not mix very well.

Adam drew with a chuckle. "Shit! End turn! End Duel now actually."

Nikolai drew his next card and knew he had won. "Border Marine attack."

The marine fired out again and hit Adam squarely in the chest, winding him and knocking him to the ground.

Adam: 0

Nikolai: 900

The holograms faded and Nikolai helped Adam up.

"Not bad." Commented Adam as they headed back to their room to drop their stuff off. "For an eastern European of course."

Nikolai looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "You ca talk, most of them are plumbing for you now in UK."

Adam nodded as they got into their room and threw their things down. "Point taken."

As Nikolai sat down however he felt something in his jacket vibrate, he dug in and saw his PDA flashing the words VIDEO CALL. He got the touchpen out, lay on his bed and tapped accept and saw a familiar face on the screen.

"Carissa1" He smiled.

The Spanish girl was on the screen in a Red blazer in a small shabby dorm room.

"Hi Nik! Sorry to leave you."

"What happened? Where were you?"

Carissa shifted. "Well…my theory paper was fine, above fine I got extra marks you see. But my duel exam…flopped, I accepted failure but my mum complained and said I was fine to enter so after a while I got accepted but in Osiris red."

She grinned but he saw she was really embarrassed in her body language and reluctance.. "Don't worry; you'll be up in the top ranks no time."

"Sure about that?"

"I'll help if you want me to."

"Thanks, you're sweet. Got to go now, got early homework but I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Ok." Nodded Nik. "Bye."

"Bye." she smiled and the video ended, from the other bed Adam laughed and Nikolai saw him looking at him with a smirk and a Science Fiction magazine called Clockwork.

"Nice one tiger. " Nikolai just rolled his eyes.

"She's just a friend."

"She's good looking, exotic Spaniard."

"So?"

Adam rolled his eyes. "So…can you introduce me?"

Coughed Adam shyly. "One extreme to the other with you, immature then shy." Nodded Nikolai to himself as he reached for the TV remote.

"By the way what was with your monsters?" Asked Nikolai.

"Ever heard of Doctor Who?"

"Nope."

Adam blinked and shook his head. "I shall have to educate you eastern heaven in the ways of the western science fiction fool."

Meanwhile Kai was standing outside his balcony window looking over the island from his luxury king size room. It felt just like his real room really but more classically decorated. He felt excited about tomorrow. It began tomorrow, his reign. No longer in his fathers Shadow. He would expand his influence. However he also felt stressed, slot of pressure was on him to succeed, not from his parents or family but other people and he had to prove, even though he knew he was already, he was the next big thing in duelling, the next Judai Yuki. Easily done due to it being his dad. He fed of attention of course and he being his the Prince of Games meant the load was lightened slightly by that fact. He remembered what his dad ha said to him last before leaving. He had talked to him on the phone from Las Vegas as he had a big league match there; Kai was disappointed at his father having little time for him but had learned to grow up with it. He had given him the basic advice he always did; enjoy it.

"That isn't enough." Growled Kai in anger to noone but his memory.

He was sick of his dad's sentimental messages, why did he only understand that life was far more serious than his dads' pathetic ideas on life and far fetched stories about his soul inhabiting a monster or space travel or Fucking cults trying to destroy the planet! He had all the time to enjoy his life but little to add him or his sister to it. It wasn't fair.

"Fuck him." Mumbled kai as he reached to his belt pulled a cigarette from the small pack and began to inhale the soothing nicotine. "Fuck him."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: New Faces

_**Chapter 3: **__**The Target**_

The sun shone brightly over Academy Island. The southern pacific heat searing the very earth. People were beginning to converge on the main building for classes with mild reluctance from older pupils and excitement for younger ones. A normal day at the school. Inside the building however a meeting was going on between the teachers who were converged around a table with the males on one side and the females on the other. At the head were Principal Gaudin and a man in a black-dark blue version of his blazer, the Vice Principal dress in front of an electronic white board. He was standing behind the South African with his arms crossed and a strict look on his face. He was Japanese and had combed back greasy hair with sharp eyes behind some rectangular glasses; he was around 30 or so but looked younger in the eyes that studied detail with ease. He looked like a man who cared little for people and more the numbers behind them. It was a small room with a window behind them overlooking the jungle.Gaudin leaned forward with his hands together.

"As well all know the School Duel with North School is approaching." His accent cutting the air. "And we need a team put together before then. I have called this meeting to ask all of you to be on the look out for anyone who would be good enough to fight in the event."

Feng chuckled and looked at Gaudin. "If that is the case Hiro Tanaka and Dedrick Van Gelton are in already. They are after All our top two students!"

"Show some respect!" barked the man behind Gaudin.

"Easy Mr Nakamura." Warned Gaudin. "Lok is entitled to his opinion after all. In response Lok I think that young Dedrick is indeed a good option. For a second year he is showing remarkable skill. Hiro however I'm...sceptical about."

Professor Lee coughed to get attention. "What about sir?"

"I'm not sure. His technique is too lucky, the odds are stacked up against him and he uncannily gets the right card."

"That is skill sir!" Defended Lok.

"Shut up!" Shouted Nakamura.

"Vice-Principal" Warned Gaudin again calmly.

He then continued as if nothing had happened.

"Maybe but It doesn't seem as fluid as Dedrick's, he only gets as good as he is when he is in a corner. Now back to the agenda, seek out any prospects and keep an eye on them, I'd like you to compile a list before the next meeting."

Feng one again butted in. "Principal I have a student you will be interested in his name is-"

"Kai Yuki." Squeaked Guner meekly. "We know Lok."

Feng stared at him and the Turk looked away sheepishly. "He is certainly a prospect sir."

Gaudin nodded. "Well, this meeting is adjourned, keep an eye on Yuki and find some more duellists, we need 5 before the event."

The staff then began to pile out and head to class with the Principals words in mind. Gaudin however remained behind. He looked out over the jungle with narrowed eyes as he removed a folder entitled; **Case 11**. He opened it and sighed. He would solve what happened here, one way or another.

Nikolai walked down the corridor of the school to his class, he was walking with Adam to his first ever class at Duel Academy. He seemed more excited than Adam about it but who cared; he had escaped the cod of Russia and was on a paradise island where he could get a massive career. What more could he want! As they got to the room, the doors opened by themselves in their clean fashion and they found themselves in a filling up room with many first years. Adam and Nikolai looked around and saw some seats in the left around the centre. . They threw their bags off their back and extracted their books and pencil cases when the door opened again. Kai Yuki strutted into the room with Jack Freeman and scanned the room. Then Kai's gaze fell on Nikolai. They glared at each other for a few seconds before Kai turned away and took a some seats at the back with Jack. Seats because as an Osiris went to sit down eagerly next to Jack he threw his bag on the chair as did Kai on his side, just for some extra privacy. People still seemed amazed at his very presence still, some getting their decks out as if to duel him that very second.

"What was that about?" Came Adams voice to Nikolais eyes.

"Me and Kai don't get on." He said dryly.

"Interesting." Commented Adam. "And the other guy."

"Not him too." He replied in broken English.

As Adam went to talk again the teacher walked out at the front of the room. It was Professor Feng, he seemed agitated and was talking to himself in Chinese or Taiwanese or some eastern language. He threw his text book down on his desk making a loud echoing noise that silenced the class.

"Good Morning." He barked out in a tone that suggested otherwise. "You are here today to learn and it is not only your first year but also school day. I will not be stopping to appreciate you all as Principal Gaudin does…but I will take time to help mature some of the more talented of you."

His eyes rested on a few Obelisks which told Nikolai the guy was favouritism to his dorm, great.

"Now today we will go over some basic duel history which you should all know. I was disappointed at how few of you answered those questions correctly on the entrance exam, me writing them myself." He shook his head in a disappointed manner and an agitated expression on his features. He looked over the crowd. He then threw his arm out at the back of the classroom and pointed.

"You boy. Who is Insector Haga?" He shouted in an intimidating way.

Nikolai turned to see a small Osiris red in a terrified way; he seemed to want to shrink away from the attention. "I…I Don't Know."

He whimpered pathetically.

"He was an insect duellist you idiot!" Shouted Feng loudly making the boys eyes water as if he was to cry that very second. "You don't shrivel of intelligence in that skull! You, what was Seto kaibas ace card?"

He asked an Obelisk girl more politely at the front of the room.

"Easy. Blue Eyes White Dragon." Answered the girl confidently.

Feng smiled. "Yes my dear, well done."

He scanned the room again and his eyes fell on Nikolai.

"You, what was the last card played in the final of the Von Schroeder Cup?"

Nikolai let his mouth open and his face contort into an amazed expression. What the hell?

"Well?" He asked again.

"Exodia?" he guessed bleakly.

Feng let out a breath and laughed. "Stupid idiotic lower ranks."

He laughed again cruelly and Nikolai felt a bubble of rage rise in him as he dismissed him. "It was Hinotama! Hinotama, not Exodia, not even close!"

Nikolai narrowed his eyes and then did something he knew after saying would regret. "Who's the dickhead? Oh, Professor Feng." The class went completely silent and Feng began to go purple.

"What did you say boy?" He whispered dangerously.

Nikolai heard his brain tell him, told you so' and then stuttered before he began to talk again.

"I'm sor-"

But before he could carry on talking he began to shout in a wild manner. "GET OUT OF MY CLASS NOW! NOONE INSULTS ME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT 2 HOUR DETENTUIONS FOR TWO WEEKS! OUT NOW!

Nikolai looked around in an exasperated way and then groaned before dragging himself out. As he passed Jack and Kai he saw them making the wanker sign and Kai chuckling, Nikolai scowled at him as he left the room. He walked across the hall and smacked his head into the glass, angry at himself and swearing in Russian loudly. First day and he had gotten into massive trouble as well as missing his class, bad impression. As he vented his anger out by banging his head and swearing he heard footsteps and panting, he turned his head slightly away from the glass to see Carissa in the female Osiris Red uniform with a red blazer on top, she looked messy and her hair was all over the place.

"Hi." She smiled as she saw him. "Why you here?"

"Don't ask, you'll see when you get in, actually on second thought you are a red and you're late. Don't go in at all." He cautioned.

She raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips while pushing her hair back. "I'm not missing my first period."

"You will wish you had."

Carissa shook her head. "Well, see you after class."

She patted him on the back and entered the room, as the doors closed he heard the man begin to shout out again and felt sorry for his friend. After 10 or so minutes he slumped to the floor and sat down against the wall, bored. First Period was 1 hour long and it had been 15 mins. He sighed and eventually got up.

"I'm wasting my time here, I'll take a look around and get back before the end of the lesson." He told himself in Russian as he headed further down the corridor.

He walked along for a while until he came to a stairwell; he proceeded down and crept quietly along the hallway until he came to a large set of doors. The words GYM were emblazoned proudly above the door. He looked at his watch. He had all the time he needed. He opened the door and closed it behind him as he entered. As he turned again he quickly ducked down behind a set of chairs. He was in a large auditorium like area that was oval shaped. The chairs led down to a a trench that was filled with gym equipment and other stuff and next to the trench above it was a sot of running track area. Finally at the other end was a wide glass door that headed outside where a baseball pitch was drawn out. That wasn't what he was on the floor for however. There was a class going on, on the track area. That wasn't the main reason either. It was a girl's class; he peeked round and saw the girls in the PE uniforms doing some running exercises. He then stared mystified; it seemed to draw all his attention. Nikolai didn't know how long he was there for until he felt someone enter his presence behind him, he snapped his head round and began to stutter while trying to keep out of sight from the other pupils even though they were a good distance away. A girl around year older than him was standing there with her arms crossed. She was thin and slightly shorter than him and the uniform looked slightly small. She looked had pale skin that contrasted with her dark black hair, tied in a ponytail, her brown eyes stared at him with playfulness.

"Wrong class I think." She spoke with a Germanic accent.

"Well…uh...I can sort of explain." Nikolai responded in a pathetic way.

"Doesn't matter." She chuckled. "I'll let you off as you seem pretty cute."

"Thanks, I guess." Mused Nikolai with a slight blush to his cheeks, he coughed and the continued. "So…I'll go now."

He then got up awkwardly and headed to the exit. The girl followed him to the door and opened it for him.

"Thanks." He walked through and then turned. "Sorry. I'm not a peeping, oh, Tim."

"Tom."She corrected with a grin.

"Whatever. Bye."

"Wait. Whats your name? I'm Gwendolyn. Call me Gwen."

"Nikolai Nekorovich." He replied as he walked off. "See you around."

As he left the vicinity Gwen looked him over with a sly grin. "Indeed."

Nikolai spent the rest of the time just wandering, he managed to get back in time to be harassed by Feng again but he simply nodded and said 'yes sir' whenever he stopped screaming indiscriminately. Still, it stung to have detention on the first day for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!

After the next lesson with Professor Lee, which was little more than studying what they already knew so it was really a big waste. After that they had 3 more lessons. It was the last lesson in which the day got interesting indeed. It was with Professor Law from the Osiris Red female dormitory. As Nikolai and Adam sat themselves down he noticed an Obelisk student up the front with his duel disk on. He was tall and thin to the point of being underweight; his skin was pale like a sheet. His hair was long, dark brown that fell down to his shoulders in a neat way. The most distinctive feature of him was his eye. Eye, because he only had one. It was a dark grey that was steely and reminded him of silver. His right eye was covered by an eye patch. It was plain and black but helped give a factor of intimidation to him. He looked slightly older than himself so Nikolai was guessing he was s second year. As the class settled down and Professor Law finished going over her papers she began to speak to the class. It started with the usual introduction and pointless explanation of why they were here and so on so forth. Nikolai ad Adam spent the time playing rock paper scissors. Eventually she stopped speaking over that and got onto more interesting themes. Mainly the lesson.

"Today I will show you what we hope for you to all achieve by the end of the year as you head into your Year One Tests and proceed to becoming a sophomore. Here I have one of the best students of last term and indeed one of the best in Duel Academy. May I introduce Mr Dedrick Van Gelton, our second-to-Kaiser pupil." The class gave a polite applause while Nikolai watched him with interest.

The guy before him was a brilliant duellist to be contending for Kaiser in his second year. Out of curiosity he turned to see Kai's reaction. Kai was applauding politely and too seemed drawn in by the second year. As the applause died down Dedrick began to speak.

"Hello." He spoke with a soft voice but a German accent that bit into it harshly. "I'm supposed to tell you what I did to get where I am now. Well, I went to duel Prep School for 3 years in Stuttgart, which is useless to the majority of you here, and when I got here was put in blue dorm. My teacher would like to say I studied hard but in truth I didn't. I simply have a great memory. I am also a good duellist due to my putting it in to practice well. That is it."

The class began to clap uncertaintly.Adam leaned over.

"He's very modest isn't he? Damm German." Muttered the brit.

"He must be good to be where he is. Always respect your opponent or risk defeat." Replied Nikolai.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Who's been reading scripture?"

"No one. Heard it off a video game and it sounded good. Grand Theft Auto VI I think." Nodded Nikolai as Adam agreed.

Professor Law came to the front again. She cleared her throat.

"Well thank you Mr Van Gelton. I do however, hope you all study anyway and follow his impression in spirit only." She looked at him as if to say why.

Dedrick sighed and looked at his watch.

"Well, as for the next part of the lesson Mr Van Gelton will be duelling one of you to show what a good deck can do if structured well, Dedrick will choose his opponent. Your choice Dedrick." She stepped away and the German stepped forward and looked around the room. After a few seconds his eyes settled on Nikolai, He out his arm out and pointed.Nikolai grinned and stood up, as he did he heard someone clear their throat in the way people do to get attention. He turned and saw Kai getting up.

"He picked me Nekorovich." Kai stated as he headed down. "Blue-on-blue as Americans says."

Nikolai scowled as he sat down and crossed his arms angrily. He swore quietly in Russian. Adam chuckled getting Nikolai's attention.

"Look at it this way, he's under pressure down there we can just relax and take notes. Duelling isn't that great anyway." Adam put his feet up on his desk much to the Osiris girl next to hims discomfort.

"You're not too bothered about duelling are you." Said Nikolai.

"I am but I'm not obsessed like some. I simply enjoy it and focus on the more important things in life for example. It isn't a matter of life or death and if it is…then you are captive of a psychopathic duellist." He chuckled to himself as did Nikolai.

"Good description of Kai there."

Down at the front Kai and Dedrick where swapping decks and shuffling hard. After a few seconds they returned their decks, fitted their duel disks and got at each end of the front of the room.

"You're Judai Yuki's son right?" Questioned the German with an eyebrow raised over his eye.

"Uh-huh." Smirked Kai. "I've got the same skills too."

"I hope so. Watch, learn and counter. That's my motto. I will learn from you and when the time comes when we meet in competition again, I will counter." He activated his Duel Disk as did kai.

"I will have gotten so new ideas by the then Van Gelton." Glared kai.

Dedrick: 4000

Kai: 4000

"I'll go first." Dedrick drew his cards slowly and carefully. "I summon Mourning Phantom (2/600/400) in defence position."

A wail erupted form nowhere causing a few gasps or slight screams from some students. It was a sad but terrifying scream. Like scratching a chalk board but with pure emotion tainting it. As the scream quietened down, from the floor in front of Dedrick. It was completely white but slightly see through however and shimmering likes sun on water. It appeared to be a woman wearing a veil like Christian widows wore, she was clutching a handkerchief in her hand and the sound of quiet sobs echoed out.

"End turn." Dedrick crossed his arms as Kai drew his card with more force and flare.

Kai smiled at his hand.

"_This is going to be easy. I'd better not attack yet, as a ghost it's most likely an immortal monster, his lack of backup cards also means it has a nasty effect. A big risk"_ He though to himself. _"Then again, I like risks."_

"5 roubles say he summons an E-Hero." Whispered Nikolai.

"How much is that in pound sterling?" Asked Adam unsure.

"Never mind. Loser gets the winner lunch."

"Deal." They shook hands and watched to see Kai's monster.

"I summon Lost Nobility: Harold (3/1200/1100) in attack position."

"Lunch on you Nik." Adam patted him on the back with a smirk at the appearance of Kai's monster. It looked like an early European Duke. It had a red tattered coat with very old looking clothing that gave it a distinction. It had a trihorn upon its head and its face was hidden behind a black scarf around its face so only the red eyes were visible. Its hands hidden behind dirty gloves and a shadow that crept outwards in every direction in a creepy way. It drew the rapier sword from its side and placed its blade in front of it to show he was ready to fight.

"Harold attacks his Phantom!" The demonic noble then flipped his sword out and marched forward cautiously before lashing out with a cry into the Phantoms chest. The blade however passed straight through the monster although the ghost shuddered slightly.

Dedrick: 3400

Kai: 4000

"Obvious that would happen." Muttered Jack as he watched. "This German must have some sort of immortality deck that runs on spells that rely on that by the look of that."

An obelisk turned around next to him. "How'd you know that?"

"I faced a deck like this before." He said simply.

As the guy turned he saw a wallet in his outer pocket, with a smirk he slipped it away expertly from the blue students pocket. Finders-keepers after all.

Back on the field Kai was about to set a card when all of a sudden, taking him by surprise, mourning phantom screamed out loud, and several people jumped at the sudden noise but Dedrick simply stared lazily eyed forward. As the scream stopped Kai saw his Lost Nobility step back in fear with a shudder.

"Mourning Phantom is grieving currently _Neue_. For attacking her scared penalty is taken. Harold cannot attack again for next turn." Kai sighed in frustration as he explained.

"I'll set a card and finish then." Declared Kai confidently as the card appeared. "Don't underestimate me Dedrick."

"Don't overestimate yourself." Retorted Dedrick to a few ooh's from the crowd. Obviously some people, others jeered him for this. Nikolai shook his head. When would people stop supporting him because of his father? Dedrick drew.

"I summon Candle-bearing phantom (3/1000/500) in attack position." A guttural moan echoed out and a ghoul limped out. It appeared to be a butler but far more demonic and gaunt, like a skeletal apparition. Silvery blood stained its body and dripped eerily to the ground where a puddle developed. In its hand was a gnarled wooden holder with a faint candle in place.

"I activate the carrying-on spell card, Chains of Servitude." As he activated his card some rusty steel chains took shape in front of him as he glanced boredly at them they strapped themselves around Candle-Bearing Phantom.

"What's that?" Questioned Kai with narrowed eyes as the phantom looked to the sky in aguish as he was constricted.

"My chains imprison one phantom while in play and for the remainder of the time they two are in play together, his attack, or defence, decreases until equal with the opposite score." Dedrick calmly spoke. His voice was soothing yet had a dangerous edge to it all this time that made Adam shiver.

"This guy is freaky. With a deck like this his childhood must have been horrifying1" Grunted Adam.

"May be a Goth." Suggested Nikolai. "He has an eye patch, seems pretty gothic."

"Don't get me started on Goths." Warned Adam comically. "Wonder how he lost his eye?"

As this happened the phantom lost its strength. (CBP 1000500)

"Now the amount taken away is locked into the spell card for later." Explained Dedrick again, he fiddled with his eyepatch for a few seconds before continuing his play.

"In your own time scar face." taunted Kai to a scowl from the German.

"I'll attack your Harold with Candle-Bearer, Neue." The butler limped forward quickly and blew on the flame of the candle; it flew outwards like an inferno toward the Noble. Kai however flipped his et trap card.

"House of Dread activates." A continuous card showcasing an ancient looking piece of scroll being studied intently by Kozaky was turned towards the spectre. "My trap card protects my life points in a battle that I'd lose while one of my lost Nobility is involved. All at the cost of discarding a card during each of my draw phases."

Dedrick grinned as he did this to the obelisks sitting next to Jacks confusion.

"What the hell!? He wasted his card! Harold is stronger than his phantom!"

Jack chuckled. "He played his bluff, a lot of people would let the attack go through but Kai knew that thing has more to it than meets the eye and played him down."

Indeed as the card took effect, forming a purple barrier round Kai, The fire became more intense as it reached Harold, it set the man alight and a terrible scream of pain sounded out as he was burnt alive before exploding into pixels'.

Dedrick nodded at kai. "Well predicted. Candle-Bearing Phantom can increase his attack if the monster he attacks is the same level but higher attack power until they it has 100 more attack points than the opponent. Normally he would die at the end of the turn however…"

He gestured to the chains enveloping the ghost. "Chains of Servitude stop him dieing from monster effects, spells or traps that target him specifically, meaning his power."

Dedrick grinned again. Kai just narrowed his eyes. "Just take your move Kraut."

Dedrick glared at him with his good eye. Professor Law went to step in at the racial comment.

"It's fine Professor." Dedrick waved her off with a more serious tone and a colder edge. "I can handle this."

Dedrick punched a fist out and Mourning Phantom instinctively began to attack, it hobbled over before reaching Kai so they were face to face before throwing the veil back revealing a horrific blood stained skeletal face. Kai gasped ad jumped back in fear as it screamed out dreadful sound wave attacks, making Nikolai wince slightly.

Dedrick: 3400

Kai: 3400

"End turn." Stated Dedrick gruffly.

Kai drew shaking his head a bit, he selected a card and discard per the effect of House of Dread. "Take it easy. It's all in the spirit of competition."

Dedrick lightened his face slightly. "Suppose so."

Kai shrugged his shoulders and continued his move. "Now, I'll summon Lost Nobility-Shinzo (4/1700/1300)."

Another worn and dark daemon walked out. It was in Japanese battered scratched samurai armour and the face was hidden behind one of the masks worn in the era. The burning red yes glared out. It drew its sword which shone evilly while the shadow crept out like before.

"Next I'll activate my spell card Household Name." A grey aura surrounded Shinzo and he spun his sword expertly around with a laugh that boomed.

"Household Name gives my Lost Nobility an extra 400 attack points." He explained simply.

(LNS: 17002100)

"Now I'll have Shinzo attack mourning phantom!" He lashed an arm out and the samurai ran forward, sword above his head, his eyes giving a fearful image. As he reached the ghost he slashed down through the apparition to no obvious effect.

Dedrick: 1900

Kai: 3400

Dedrick groaned as he took damage, the compensation being the phantoms effect caused the samurai to step back in fear.Kai however hadn't slowed down.

"Now I'll play Pot of Greed to give me a better hand size." He drew two cards giving him three cards now. "Perfect, I'll now activate The Warrior Returning Alive to return Harold to my hand."

He took the card from his graveyard.Nikolai raised an eyebrow.

"_Interesting. That card had all the hallmarks of a demon. Must be an effect that makes it count as a warrior_." He thought to himself as he observed his rivals tactics.

Jack sat and thought to himself too. "_Kai seems to be going slow here. He isn't getting the right cards, lucky for Van Gelton or he'd be wasted. Still he's blue so I'm cool with him."_

Adam was ALSO thinking to himself. "_I wonder what's for dinner tonight_."

As he sat there he heard a mans chuckle, it seemed far away for some reason. Adam looked around him. No men around him, not that he didn't consider himself a man. He scratched his head and then with a shrug of his shoulders turned back to watch the duel.Kai was playing his next card.

"Now I'll play Quick Summon." A quick play spell appeared on his field displaying a picture of some work men heading over to n alarm in a hurry.

Dedrick narrowed his eyes. "I see _Neue_. That card lets you normal summon a second monster so you'll-"

"Bring back Harold." Snapped Kai as he slapped down the card and the demon warrior noble sauntered out next to Shinzo. "End turn."

Kai was annoyed. He was trying to stay calm on the outside but the cards weren't coming.

"_Unlucky shuffle I guess_." He told thought quietly. "_Can't get my cards out quick enough_."

Dedrick was drawing his next card. He looked at it and widened his eye. "_This card. I won't use it here. Not until I'm at the door of a loss._

He placed the card to the side of his hand and selected a second. "I activate Dark Door."

A continuous spell card displaying a vile green spiritual portal stood upon Dedrick's field next to Chains of Servitude.

"Now only one of our monsters a turn can engage in combat." Explained Dedrick. "To follow that up I will set one card and have Candle Bearing Phantom attack Shinzo."

The undead man blew on his candle and a ghostly inferno blasted at the samurai demon warrior as it's attack points rose to 100 points more than its score. Shinzo took it's sword in a defensive position and once again House of Dread protected Kai as the shield flared up. The samurai was slowly burnt away with terrible screams. Some students began to complain.

"Come on professor's happening in this duel is their monsters are screaming our ears off!" Cried a Ra Yellow student.

To answer that Kai and Dedrick glared hard at him, he slowly receded in fear. Kai then cricked his neck and set a card before signifying for Kai to begin with a bored wave of his arm.Kai drew his next card and then discarded his beginning card immediately.

"I set a card. And Now I'll activate a card in my graveyards effect. Household Name." he slipped the card out and smirked as he placed it in his inner blazer pocket. "By removing it from play I can add one Lost Nobility to my hand from my deck.

." He flipped through his deck and took a card out. "I won't summon this card yet, it's vulnerable to your candle-bearer."

He then pointed out at Candle-Bearing Phantom. "Attack Harold!"

The monster drew its blade and bounced forward before stabbing the ghost in the chest, the chains however deflected the blow so the spectre simply stumbled back with a groan.Kai raised an eyebrow. All his phantoms were immortal.

Dedrick: 700

Kai: 3400

"End turn then." Kai sighed and crossed his arms. "Still, I'm in the lead."

Dedrick drew his next card calmly, betraying now emotion. His eyes lit up." This is soon over. I sacrifice my Candle-Bearing Phantom for Crypt Ruler (6/2500/1900)."

The enslaved ghost slowly dissipated into mist before reforming into a new monster this one not ghostly but opaque in appearance. It was in dark robes and its face was disgusting. A rotting green-red corpse with an eye falling out. Its hands that were revealed were but bone with little flesh left, flies surrounded it but not to feast, and it was almost with admiration. They made a sphere around it that slowly receded and expanded in a chaotic fashion. Some of the female students screamed slightly as the monster began to breath and coughed up a rotting organ instead.Kai grimaced.

"Terrifying I guess." He smirked. "Of course I'm not squeamish."

Dedrick laughed. "It doesn't matter .Before I do anything else Chains of Servitudes activates. Remember it deducted 500 points? Well now for every 100 points we draw 1 card."

The two drew 5 cards, leaving them both pleased.

"Crypt Ruler will activate his effect now. He cannot attack-"

"Useful." Interrupted Kai with a scowl from Dedrick in response.

"Instead I select a monster you have ad compare its attack points, or respective defence points and it is treated as a battle from there of course." Dedrick grinned. "Harold naturally."

The rotting corpse breathed out and a foul rotting gas spread toward the noble and it began to choke to death slowly and painfully. As it spasm on the floor it slowly rotted away.

Dedrick: 700

Kai: 2100

"Now to finish this turn mourning phantom will attack you directly." The widowed ghost then hobbled over and screamed into Kai's face, painfully loud, again.

Dedrick: 700

Kai: 1500

"I set a card and then end my turn." He then proceeded to discard two more because of his over sized hand. As he did this a flash erupted form his grave and suddenly 2 pale floating orb appeared. The looked like an eye that was blood shot and staring intently at Kai.

"What's that? "Asked Kai with narrowed eyes.

"A Crypt token. (1/0/0). They are made by Crypt Ruler when one of my cards is sent to the graveyard. Because I sent two there are two."

Kai drew his next card and discarded another card for House of Dread. He looked over his hand a smile widely and cruelly. "This is over."

He lifted a card above his head proudly. "Polymerization!"

The crowd leaned in with great interest as the Yuki Trademark was played. Nikolai looked on with wide yes.

"Polymerization! What's he summoning?"

"A fusion?" Suggested Adam with a comic voice in an inappropriate point.

Nikolai placed his head in his hand and groaned.

Kai was now taking a card from his hand a placing it in a spell zone. As he played it a set of armour took shape on the field. It was blackened stood out like a man was inside it. Intricate gold steel was also embroided in strange shapes upon it. Arm gauntlets, leg gauntlets, breast plate and a spike helmet stood proudly and wickedly upon his side.

"This is Family Armour-Necro. It is spell card that has no effect except one."

A member of the class spoke up. "What?"

Kai closed his eyes and smirked. "It can only be played in conjunction with polymerization and lost Nobility."

The people. Including Professor Law looked confused however Kai continued.

"This cannot be worn, it must be fused to the person it wants to fight with! This is it Duel academy! Kai Yuki, The Future-Kaiser is here, Watch and learn!" He took a monster and slapped it on the duel disk. Another monster appeared. It was in European dress again. It was frilled and in contemporary dress that looked French. It had another blade by its side that was curved ever so slightly. A wig of the age was perched upon its head upon a grey face with burning red yes.

"Lost Nobility-Louis (4/1500/1500) fuses with Necro!" The two cards then twisted reality and spun into Polymerization. A deafening bang echoed and a flash of light. As it subsided Louis was changed. He was now inside the armour and looked more like a demonic knight. Louis cackled and flipped the visor down, closing off all view to his face, even eyes. Purple lightning crackled over the armour briefly. Kai opened his eyes with force.

"Lost Family-Necro (8/2800/2500) is my new fusion between these two monsters." Kai grinned as the knight laughed with an echo, courtesy of the helmet. "Next I'll activate Spell reproduction, discarding these two to bring back Pot of greed."

He then inserted the card and drew two cards. He shook his head.

"Monsters." He said simply. He couldn't use them as he had summoned already.

"Finally I play Cyclone to destroy Dark Door!" a whirlwind spread toward the card and wiped it away.

Jack scrunched his face up. "Why's he do that? He has one monster only."

Kai was now declaring a battle. "Attack the Crypt Token!"

The knight then jumped forward and held a fist back; as it did so it began to crackle with veil purple energy which covered it the hand. Just as it was punching forward to wipe out the defenceless monster Dedrick revealed a trap.

"Attack redirection armour turns your attack to Mourning Phantom." The knight then swerved and ran at the widow. As it did so a second trap activated. "Spirit Barrier stops me taking damage if a monster is in play on my field."

A gold barrier formed around Dedrick and as Mourning Phantom screamed in pain he avoided damage to Kai's annoyance.

"I can't activate his effect if he doesn't kill a monster." He mumbled angrily. "End turn1"

He spat the words out with frustration much to Dedrick's amusement. "Remember Mourning Phantom means he cannot attack next turn and you've lost your hand!"

Kai looked at him harshly.

"You'll have to decided next turn whether to risk a good hand with Household Name or make sure your monster survives. You haven't planned ahead." Lecture the German with a glint in his eye. "Unlike myself. Watch."

He drew his card and then placed down a monster.

"_This may not be that card but it will do._ I sacrifice Crypt Tokens to summon Black Death (7/0/0)"

A strange black cloud floated into their presence. It was shapeless and whispering echoed from it. It had a bad feeling about it.

"Firstly Black death kills all my monsters." It spread out and encompassed his ghosts, they slowly faded away leaving the monster size cloud now. "Now his attack is equal to all their defence scores added together and his defence score is equal to the sum of their attack scores."

The Cloud shuddered for a moment. (7/2300/ 3100).

"Now I activate Rotting Rebirth. This card brings back a demon or magician but with half stats. Crypt Ruler comes back to me (6/ 1250/950)." The rotting ruler was now falling apart, it was more of a skeleton now and had only one arm, the robes were tattered and inside was a mushy substance that was once its innards.

"Attack Necro Black Death!" Dedrick shouted with energy.

The cloud then blew forward in spiral, it then surrounded the confused and afraid demon knight, and it then advanced upon it and seeped into the cracks in the armour. Necro Clutched its throat in pain with a gargled scream. Beating its chest with its last energy, it collapsed.

Dedrick: 700

Kai: 1200

"Shit." Groaned Kai as he looked at his empty field and his opponent's full field.

"I finish this turn." Dedrick crossed his arms. Crypt Ruler could only battle monsters so he was safe for now.

Kai drew placed his hand upon his deck and closed his eyes. "_This is it. I have to in this first duel! This is all my skill. All my deck building. Everything. No Faith. Just reality."_

Nikola was leaning forward now teaching his rival with intense eyes. He didn't want him to lose for some reason, strange as it was; he was almost rooting for him. Nevertheless he watched him hard.

"Show me what you can do." He spoke quietly.

Kai took in a breath and snapped a card off his duel disk. Before he could make a response however the holograms suddenly shut down. The pupils groaned in annoyance. As Kai looked around he turned to Law.

"2What is it Professor?" He asked curtly.

"The time period I had for the main Holographic system has expired." She spoke with a sympathising voice. "Sorry, everyone but the class is over. You can go back now."

Nikolai d Adam got up getting their stuff together. He saw Dedrick leave out of the back way with Professor Law in an almost paranoid way.

"Good duel, bit slow but tactically very good." Nodded Adam as they left the room.

"Wonder what card Kai got?" asked Nikolai to himself as he headed down the hall with Adam to meet with Carissa from her 'special' class.

Kai walked slowly out of the room with Jack when everyone had gone.

"Good duel Kai. Bad luck with the draws though." Jack said cheerfully with a pat on the back.

"It was a disaster." Moaned Kai as he lit a cigarette.

"It was an experience. He was a second year! You can learn from that surely."

"Suppose." He scratched his nose with anger. "I'm still the Prince of Games."

Kai felt so angry with himself. In his eyes he had failed. His first duel. It was embarrassing. What would everyone think! He was glad however it hadn't ended properly. Otherwise they would have seen he had only drawn Monster Reincarnation.

In a different part of the school dedrick was walking with Professor Law. They were heading down one of the more quiet Area of the school where only cleaners came normally. It was mostly used for storage of cards and other teaching supplies.

"I must say you duelled brilliantly Dedrick." She commented with a, laid back smile. "You are definitely much better this year."

"I've been practising during the summer, entered a tournament in the area and won some cards." He smiled back.

They continued till they got to one of the storage cupboards... The Professor got out a key and opened it, beckoning Dedrick in, she followed and closed the door, I was dark but you could still see and shelves surrounded a large table in the centre. The two headed to the table. Then unexpectedly Dedrick leaned over and kissed her passionately on the lips, she placed her arms round his neck and moaned softly into it. They tore apart from a second and Dedrick grinned.

"I missed you Laura." He smiled softly.

"So did I Dedrick." She smirked playfully and kissed him hard again, I later got more involved and more passionate. The cleaner swore hear heard a women scream later that day.

Ok remember to leave a review or passing comment please and remember I am taking custom characters.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Chapter 4:

Nikolai growled and grit his teeth. He had been waiting for this for a long time and he WASN'T going to wait any longer. He raised his fist and hammered it down against the wall, hard, three times. No answer. He did it again but harder. Still no answer. He was getting pissed off now.

"ADAM!" He boomed out causing the few people outside to look around due to the window being open. "I …NEED… To Use …The BATHROOM!"

He heared a chuckle from inside and the sound of water moving.

"Keep your 'air on. I've only just got in!"

"Half an hour." Groaned Nikolai as he crossed his arms with annoyance.

"Time fly's when you're having a bath." Then after what seemed an eternity he heard him leave the bath and pull the plug.

"Thank you." Sighed Nikolai as he waited for him to get dressed. When Adam came out his hair was very untidy due to the water and he was trying to get his ponytail done up.

"You're in." He said simply. "I'm off to breakfast."

Nikolai headed in and closed the door. He removed his clothes and then turned the shower on with his hand under it to test the water while it warmed. It didn't. He was there for 10 minutes before he looked at the meter in the room for the days hot water supply. Unfortunately this meant walking past the open window much to a people's disgust, amusement and in a few girls and one boys case interest. With great embarrassment he returned to the bathroom and reluctantly had a cold shower.

After having breakfast in the canteen he and Adam set off to class. It had been a few days since Dedrick had duelled Kai and the novelty of school had worn off and it was now routine. Interesting but some times annoying. . As they walked along the track to the main building he heard someone's voice. He turned and saw Carissa Jogging over in her uniform that was scruffy and with a backpack. Adam wolf whistled quietly as he looked her over. Nikolai looked at him blandly and with a clearing of the throat he left it at that. Carissa got over and smiled.

"High Nik!" She smiled happily. She turned and saw Adam. "Who's this?"

"This is-"But he was cut off.

"Adam Harper. Hail from Manchester." He said in an attempt to magnify his accent. Apparently it was his idea of being sexy.

"Carissa Mendez, Madrid." She raised an eyebrow slightly as they continued on their way.

"So from Spain." Commented Adam. "Nice place, been there once or twice. Seville."

Carissa nodded. "You travel then?"

"Hmm? Oh well yeah." He nodded hard. "Mostly in the commonwealth though. I've been India, Kenya, New Zealand, and Jamaica. Hell I've been to the Baghdad! Had a few happy memories there"

He smiled goofily and Nikolai closed his eyes. This would be painful. Ever since the American led coalition had invaded and held occupation in Iraq it had become very…disappointing in the eyes of the Euro community at international levels. It got worse however. Eventually it became an almost permanent administration. America and Britain held the county as their own for 4 years to allow each other to recover while the other controlled the country. Currently it was in American hands but changed later this year. Carissa raised an eyebrow and her eyes hardened.Nikolai preyed he wouldn't mention Afghanistan.

"So." Her tone was more serious now. "Was it nice there?"

"Ok. Bit warm for me and the flies we-"

"Good. I'll check in to a hotel there next time I'm on vacation. Nikolai." She nodded politely at him and strode off.

Adam watched with a confused expression as she walked off. Nikolai placed a hand on her shoulder and grinned.

"Not good Brit."

"What happened there, I only said I'd been to Bag da-da-dad." It suddenly hit him and the penny dropped form the look on his face. "Shit Shit Shit!"

Nikolai laughed and patted him on the back as he headed off, to before Adam however jogged toward Carissa to explain himself. He stopped and watched. He saw the two stop and Adam talk quite fast then Carissa interrupted him and began pointing right in his face intimidating so that Adam stepped back. She then walked off again.Nikolai preceded to class. As he was about to enter the room the class was in when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned and saw Gwen with a grin on her face.

"Hi." She gave a small wave. She was now dressed in an obelisk girl's uniform with stockings and black fingerless gloves.

"Hello." Replied Nikolai with a friendly smile. "You in with me then?"

She shook her head. "I'm third year. Have a class with professor Chronos."

Nikolai raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Chronos?"

A nervous look graced her face for a second before she shook her head. "Sorry. I mean Professor Guner.Well, I must leave. Goodbye."

She then walked off briskly before Nikolai could reply. As he entered the classroom Adam slinked in quietly and threw his stuff down beside Nikolai.

"I won't ask." He patted his back with a grin and Adam let out a sigh in frustration.

The day went on with quick pace. Most of what was being taught Nikolai was new to although that didn't stop Feng, who had now grown a habit of singling him out and making a point Ra's were worse than Osiris's because they were smug enough to say they were but manipulative enough to try to become blue (Overlooking own dorm members habits. Wherever Jack or Kai went things went missing). The detentions had been shit and he was bored cleaning out the room instead of the caretakers doing it. Still he had finally got to see Carissa's classes. He had been let out early by Professor Guner after being pressurized by some rowdy Osiris students and he had dropped past her class. It was sad really. A small amount, maybe 10-20 people were seated round a table in a disused meeting room and they sat and were taught basic things like poker faces, how to draw, strategy and good deck compilation. This on top of the homework from the other class Nikolai took, which these students took on top of theirs after hours, added to stress and also a reclusive nature in some. Still this was Duel Academy and It is very poor to learn to duel WHILE here. He hoped Carissa could last till the end of the year when she rose to his level again. After the first bloc of lessons finished lunch was declared. It was during this time the two met up with Carissa again. She ignored Adam completely and spoke only to Nikolai.

"Ok Nik?" She smiled.

"Sure. What you doing?" He asked in his heavily accented words.

"Off to get my stuff." Her words made Nikolai give a quiet ahh. Today was collection day. Students got letters and other goods from home. This was the first of 1 monthly service. He hadn't heard from his parents in ages.

"I'll come too. My parents properly sent me something. Hopefully my Blu Ray player, I forgot it when I packed and I've only got the films." He turned to Adam. "You coming?"

Adam nodded. "Ok. Probably just got a letter but still good to hear from them."

From his expression he wasn't exactly pleased with his parents but Nikolai was sure he was only going to get to see Carissa, regardless of the fact they barely knew each other and had brought up a sensitive issue that had split them already. Anyhow they proceeded down to the docks where a building had a congregation round it where some well organized lines were made. They got into a line and waited as they slowly moved forward while the people who had collected their things walked past. Eventually they got to the front and Nikolai collected a cardboard box with the DA symbol on, he waited for Carissa and Adam and then walked off to open them, Carissa making a effort to stay away from Adam. As they were about to leave the Dock area someone called out.

"WAIT! STOP! YOU HAVE MY STUFF!" came a shout form further down the road to the school behind them. Nikolai turned and saw an older Ra student jogging over. As they got closer to him he slowed down into a stride. He was average height ad had white hair with black flecks. A Japanese ethnic look adorned his features, especially eyes, and he had blue jeans instead of the normal set of clothes on. He had a cool feel about him despite his outburst earlier and a relaxed look was on his face. He held the box out to Nikolai and Nikolai saw NEKOROVICH N. written on it, he looked down at his won box and saw ASARI B. emblazoned upon its face. "Apologies." Said Nikolai. "I didn't realize."

The Asari guy chuckled. "No matter. Simple mistake. Benjiro Asari, second year Ra."

He placed a hand out and Nikolai shook it. "Nikolai Nekorovich. First year."

Benjiro looked up at Adam and Carissa. "Hi."

"Carissa Mendez and A-"Nikolai went to say.

"Adam Harper." Interrupted the Manchurian again.

Benjiro nodded at him. "Pleasure."

They stopped shaking and Nikolai went to get his stuff when unexpectedly Benjiro dropped it down and quickly pulled his duel disk out rather dramatically. He snapped it onto his wrist and slapped a deck inside.

"Duel me." He stated with a cold intellect.

Nikolai raised an eyebrow with a sigh. This was his first taste of the slightly odd logic of duel academy. You duel for everything.

"Do I have to?" He asked in an irritated manner.

Benjiro narrowed an eye. "You don't want your stuff back?"

Nikolai slowly and reluctantly nodded.

"Well then..." Benjiro crossed his arms and waited for Nikolai's response.

With a sigh Nikolai slowly set himself up for a duel.

"At least I can show off my new an improved design. Right Adam?" He looked toward Adam as he reached into his back to retrieve his duel disk. Adam and Carissa had moved to the side of the road under a tree to watch them duel it out. Adam smirked and looked toward Carissa.

"Check this."

Nikolai pulled out his duel disk and snapped it onto his arm with a proud smile. Benjiro and the other two looked impressed. He had spent hours on this. It was still academy issue but he had used black spray to place intricate designs all over it, the areas that were still visible were grey and in the centre some Russian lettering was emblazoned. In his tongue it meant 'One True Legionnaire'. The central orb area which was normally blue had been removed and instead a new glass purple one was installed that glowed a dark blue when activated.Benjiro chuckled quietly.

"Nice Duel Disk." He remarked as Nikolai inserted his deck.

"Ok Fine. Just can we make this quick. I want to get my stuff back." Nikolai retorted.

B: 4000

N: 4000

Benjiro drew a hand of six cards, signifying his taking the first turn. He silently slipped in a spell card.

"Terraforming." He said as it appeared on the field and he picked up his deck and searched through it.

Nikolai narrowed his eyes. He knew the card allowed him to add a field card to his hand so he knew he had to be vigilant at this point.Benjiro finished and added the card to his and before setting spell or trap face down.

"Your move."

Nikolai drew his next card and inspected his hand with a tactical eye. He didn't want this to draw out. He wanted to get back. He slapped a monster onto his duel disk.

"Eon-Border Marine (4/1900/1450)." He said simply as the inter-dimensional soldier burst forth. Raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

Nikolai shook his head. "No, not sure you worth time yet."

Benjiro sighed. "Guess I'll have to open up the valves a bit."

He snapped a card off his deck as hard as he could and smiled.

"Seems faith has rewarded me."

Nikolai rolled his eyes. "It's a card game with randomly arranged cards that don't change position depending on your belief you can win. So don't try to disguise good luck."

His opponent frowned slightly. "You have no faith I see."

"Faith gets you nowhere in life. Only rational thinking and truth." Spoke Nikolai with passion. "_If only Sascha had known that."_

Benjiro smirked slightly. "I'll prove you wrong one day. Now on to my move. I activate the field card Realm of Light!"

As he placed it down a temple began to arise behind the Japanese boy. It was large and imposing with a golden sheen and mighty towers with spheres of light upon them.

"This card has no power but will with the play of my next cards, not one but two Solar Recharges!"

He slipped two magic cards in and as he did so holographic beams of light let loose form the sun and infused the orbs upon the towers with greater power.

"These magic cards require I discard a light sworn monster form my hand to the cemetery so I do so." He sent two monsters to the grave leaving him with 1 card left. "Then I draw two cards."

He whipped 4 cards off the deck and then went on to explain the final ruling of the card. "Now I send two cards from my deck to the grave."

He sent another 4 cards form his deck to the grave.

"This will now give realm of light its power. See a Shine counter is added to the field spell each time a card from my deck goes to the grave. Four have been sent so now 4 counters are added. For each of them a Lightsworn will get 100 attack points so they will now gain 400 attack points." Benjiro grinned as he went through the card rulings and Nikolai frowned at the disadvantage now. "I summon now Lightlord Summoner Luminous (3/1000/1000)."

A dark skinned woman with blonde hair in a white dress stepped out. She had purple magic rings that spiralled around her hands gracefully and mysteriously.

"Don't you mean Lightsworn." Asked Carissa from the sidelines suddenly.

Benjiro sighed. "Apologise. I'm used to the native name. In your language it is Lumina Lightsworn Summoner.Her effect will now come into play now. I can discard a card in order to special summon a level 4 or lower lightsworn from my graveyard." He slipped a card away and snapped another out, bring forth another new Lightsworn. "This is Wulf Lightsworn Beast (4/2100/300)"

An anthromorphic wolf in white armour with gold designs upon it clutching a golden battle axe began to materialize from a spell the Summoner started to weave. It howled and as it did so the summoner and the beast had a glow that encompassed them.

(WLSB 21002500)

(LLSS 10001400)

Nikolai nodded with appreciation at the moves. He had to admit this guy played with fluid grace. Grace he expected to be from an obelisk student. Then the picture of Jack and Kai came into his head and decided against it.

"Now I attack Border marine with Wulf!" He pointed at the alien and the animal warrior charged forward and swung its' axe with great ferocity. It cleaved the marine in half completely to the disgust of Carissa who looked away as the purple blood spelt out of it violently.

B: 4000

N: 3400

Then the sorceress continued the assault by speaking in tongues and firing a purple blast of magic at Nikolai's face, it temporarily blinded him much to his discomfort and lowered his life points.

B: 4000

N: 2000

Adam frowned at the wings. "Halved in three turns. Not good Nik."

"Yeah thanks Adam." Grunted Nikolai.

"End turn." As Benjiro said this Lumina began to speak and a purple smoke like spell touched the Ra Yellow opponents deck causing the top three to go to the cemetery. "Lumina sends three cards from my deck to grave when I finish a turn."

This caused his two monsters to grow in power.

(LLSS: 14001700)

(WLSB 25002800)

Nikolai drew his next card and examined his hand.Benjiro began to talk again.

"So Nikolai, you have no faith. May I be personal enough to wonder why?" He asked with a calm expression.

Nikolai glared at him. "No. Why you religious?"

Benjiro shook his head. "Just want to know what drives you if you believe in nothing."

"My own interests." Retorted Nikolai in an irritated tone.

Carissa watched on with interest.

"_Seems like a raw nerves been touched here_."

Nikolai looked over his hand. "I was going to stay out of this duel but you are starting to bring up memories I'd rather forget Asari."

He slapped down a monster card with resolve. "I summon Eon-Quantum Blader (3/1500/800)."

An eon with its liquid like armour twisted out of the familiar void. It had a round helmet like head with one ruby like eye and in its hands was a pole with two sword like blades upon the end made of a similar material to the armour except more solid.

"Now Quantum Blader activates his ability. I can now lower his attack by half to attack you directly for one turn."

The blader spun his blade expertly even though his attack power went down to 750. he then threw the blade like a boomerang. It flew toward Benjiro and sliced his neck before spinning back into the Bladers hands. Benjiro stumbled slightly but remained upright.

B: 3250

N: 2000

"Next I'll activate Eon Pulse."

A card showing space rippling like water showed up. It was a continuous spell.

"Eon Aura-Mercury now activates in continuation." As he played the equip card on Blader it's armour took on a grainy green and black colour and its attack power increased to 1700. Not too noticeable. As this happened however something noticeable did happen. The field pulsed outward like everything were made of liquid. Slightly startled Benjiro raised his eyebrows.Nikolai grinned slyly.

"Eon Pulse activates when an Eon Aura is equipped to an Eon monster. I can now increase that monster attack by 100 points, then 200 and then 300 and so on."

(EQB 17001800)

"Finally I set a card and end my turn." Nikolai cricked his neck and watched for Benjiro to take his turn.

"_This guy uses Lightsworn so he is in danger of milling him self to death. I assume he will soon start bring out heavy hitters soon enough. This means I must either outlast him or take him out before he can react."_He watched intently as Benjiro drew. Now drawn into the duel. His opponent looked over his hand before slowly sliding a card into his disk with method.

"I summon Ehran Lightsworn monk (4/1600/1000)." A black young woman in light lightsworn armour leapt out and made some kung fu like moves with impressive speed. The aura engulfed her and the field spell card enhanced her attack power.

(ELSM 16002300)

Nikolai groaned at the new high hitter monster. Benjiro lashed an arm out, pointing at Quantum Blader with a smirk.

"Attack Ehran." The monk jumped forward with a battle cry, as she made contact by laying a fist into the eon's face Nikolai activated his set card freezing the scene to allow time for the effect to activate.

"Trap card, Negate Attack." This caused the holograms to revert to their positions before the attack was called.

Benjiro crossed his arms. "End turn."

As he said this he discarded 3 cards per Lumina's affect and then another 3.

"Ehran has the same effect." He explained as his deck shrunk and his monsters grew. "My monsters are getting stronger but next turn I promise you I will show you something special."

(ELSM 23002900)

(LLSS 18002400)

(WLSB 28003400)

Carissa from the sidelines placed her head in her hand and narrowed her eyes at the Japanese boy. She knew for some reason that he wasn't bluffing when eh said next turn he would bring something out. She had played a deck similar to this back in Spain and while she remembered the name of the card she didn't realize why it was dangerous.

"I won't tell Nik, he has to figure this out by himself." She mumbled.

Nikolai slashed a card off his deck and inspected it with delight.

"Your power will now go down Comrade. Eon Spaceway is here." He slapped a card into his field spell slot to benjiros dismay. The temple behind him crumbled into dust and from the ruins expanded space, never-ending space with all the cosmos to see. This obviously meant his monsters became shadows of what they were now, their auras leaving like dying stars.

(ELSM 1600)

(LLSS 1000)

(WLSB 2100)

Nikolai then spun a card with ease in his hands before activating it.

"Eon Aura- Pluto." A blue tint was painted into the armour of the blader making him a mix of grainy green and deep blue. "This card empowers him not as it is no longer a planet but instead lets mead 3 cards in my grave to my deck."

He took three cards in his grave and shuffled them well into his stack of cards. As he did this Eon Pulse pulsed out more violently than last time.

"Quantum Blader now gains 200 attack points."

(EQB 18002000)

Nikolai grinned. He was in a medium now, he could turn this duel in his favour. Before he went further however he decided more firepower was needed. He summoned a new Eon.

"Eon-Spacial Priest (3/1200/0) comes to visit." An Eon in ornate deep blue and gold robes strode out with his hands covering his face while preying in a twisting turning language. The hands were wrinkled and grey, some colour would occasionally shine through like Quantum Bladers armour did but it was weak, old, sick. The head was box like but pointed at the front and was covered by the hands in groves that were shaped to be filled by the hands of the pious alien.

"Attack Spacial Priest! Lumina die!" The priest began to chant with greater force and rocked backwards and forwards, as he did so a star above him began to shine yellow then another further by did the same, eventually 10 stars were shining, they left their placed in the sky and made a spinning halo of stars above the sorceress before…they stopped…they dropped…and exploded with force around the woman. She screamed but was drowned out by the noise of dying stars.

B: 3050

N: 2000

Nikolai carried on by ordering Quantum to attack Ehran. She stood no chance. She attempted to duck and dive from the spinning, lacerating , impossibly fast attacks of the monster but was eventually bested as it kneecapped her first and then spun round, causing the blade to sink into her back and through her chest.

B: 2650

N: 2000

Benjiro brushed himself down as some holographic blood spilled onto him and Wulf making the beast warrior roar in rage at the death of his allies.Nikolai smirked ad set a card to end his turn.Benjiro drew and smiled broadly.

"Ok comeback. Ok. Ok watch as I summon possibly my greatest creature. One you have partially helped summons." This caused Nikolai to put on a confused face to Mr Asari's amusement. "Watch as I remove 4 lightsworn monsters form my grave!"

As he did so ghostly forms of Lumina, Ehran,a second Lumina and a dragon plated in the lightsworn armour prowled onto the field with mournful expressions yet there was also hope, hope that their deaths had meant something. The ghost dissipated and a eerie mist made from the ghosts took form in space, fogging the Lightsworn master from view. A few seconds passed and Nikolai felt a chill go down his spine as the sound of flapping wings came to his eyes and a crunch as something heavy landed, he squinted into the fog but saw nothing. His opponents voice then pierced the silence, it was slow deliberate and meant to intimidate.

"Behold…my best card. My Judgement…" As he said this to Nikolai surprise (And adams, he fell back clutching his chest in fright) a massive roar erupted making the mist flee and withdraw almost immediately revealing a huge dragon face baring its teeth at Nikolai and spraying him with spit and terrible odours from its belly where many had rotted after facing it unsuccessfully.

"-Dragon (8/3000/2600)." Finished Benjiro satisfied. The creature was huge and purple with wide spanning majestic wings and red talons. A lion like mane with Japanese origin sprouted round the head. Nikolai almost forgot it was a lightsworn. It seemed too different.hre looked up at it with awe and fear. The he calmed himself down.

"It is just card, it is defeat able, don't be pathetic and fear that which is ot real." He mumbled to himself.

"Losing is real." Butted in Benjiro.

He glared at Benjiro and he remained unshaved. He cleared his throat and then declared the monsters ability.

"My magnificent Judgement dragon ahs a great ability you know. Sacrifice 1000 life points to destroy all other cards in play. Brilliant!" He nodded enthusiastically. "However. I will give you one turn to do something worthwhile."

"Why?" Nikolai raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"Because I'm cool." He said quietly. "I'm still attacking though so I guess your priest can go."

The Dragon took this signal with hungry delight leaned over with its mighty fangs and as quick as possible engulfed the priest, swallowing him whole. Not an impressive death but realistic.

B: 2650

N: 200

"End turn." As he did so he sent 4 cards form his small deck to the grave, Nikolai reasoned the dragon had an effect similar to Lumina.

Nikolai looked down at his deck and sighed with frustration.

"_I have to draw something or he wins. If he thinks he can walk away with my stuff then he is wrong as I'll just hit him hard but He can't think faith beats rationality! It just doesn't!"_

"Feeling faithful?" Came the other Ra yellows voice.

"Fuck off" Snapped the Russian.

Benjiro didn't react and simply watched with interest.

Nikolai drew his card and lifted it to his face hoping it was useful. It was to an extent.

"Pot of Greed." He said before drawing two cards that turned out to be quite useful indeed..

"Time Twister reverse what happened last turn but I cannot draw next turn." He explained as the space around them began to spin with incredible speed, when it slowly stopped the priest which had previously been consumed was back. "Now I'm going to bring out my second best card. Eon–Chrono Devil (8/3450/3150)."

A secondary Eon Devil swept onto the field this one different from the earlier Force Devil used against Adam as two of the Eon's died.

Eon Pulse then shattered and so did the Eon Aura's. Nikolai pocketed them.

"When the equipped monster dies all of the eon auras and Eon pulse are removed from play." Explained Nikolai. Few listened though as they inspected the devil.

It was strange to say the least. A thin sickly looking alien in the oil like armour with one again hellish design upon it. Its face was demonic with ram's horns and in its left hand a sceptre with an orb containing a sickly yellow and green light. As you watched however it was if you developed double vision, visions of children and elderly flashed around the demon, places long gone or soon to come, pyramids, Present day cities, futuristic cities, everything. The ghosts of times gone, coming and happening. Its eyes cold blue that made you feel as if time had stopped and only the terrible devil meant anything anymore. It opened its jaws and let out a long scream that seemed to go onforevever, a sad tone to it but also an echo of good times gone by, almost nostalgia. The dragon responded by letting loose a proud roar and the two clashed glares.

"Weird monster." Commented Adam, sill getting over the jump of Judgement dragon. As he said so he heard another voice just behind him of a man, not loud but quiet yet there was also strength to it.

"Define what's normal first." It sounded amused.

Adam snapped his head round but saw no one. He scratched his head and dismissed it. Carissa just raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Hearing things." He replied with a small smile.

She rolled her eyes and turned back to Nikolai.

Nikolai cricked his shoulders and prepared his assault. Firstly however he discarded his entire hand. As he did so the sceptre of the devil glowed brightly with its strange colour all of a sudden a bolt shot from it , in complete silence, and vaporised Benjiro's hand.

"When he is summoned we discard our hands and count up the cards. In my case 2 and in yours-"

"2."

"So a total of 4. Chrono Devil now loses 100 attack points for every card." Explained the russian.

(ECD 34503050)

Nikolai then pointed at the Lightsworn dragon. "I declare an attack on Judgement Dragon but before it go's through, Chrono Demon gives me card when I attack with him."

He drew a cards from his deck. Then the demon pointed the sceptre toward the dragon and tongues of the strange essence drifted over the field, wrapping themselves around the Dragon. It began to age and age, wrinkling and becoming thinner, A sadness gripped the dragon as its prideful body decayed until it was but dust.

Nikolai let a harsh laugh out. Carissa and Adam gave a cheer. He hadn't won but he was soon to. Benjiro then did something surprising. He clapped.

"Well done Nikolai. You played well there. Very simple but still effective." Then he smirked. "But did you forget the card I setted?"

Everyone's eyes widened as he activated his card. Then Nikolai noticed something, the Life points hadn't changed!

"Lightsworn Barrier." He explained, he then sent two cards form his deck to the grave and all of a sudden the dust of Judgement dragon rebuilt itself into the vengeful and youthful beast.Nikolai swore in Russian at his misfortune.

"_Fuck! Judgement Dragon can use his ability now and cleanse the field. Then he can attack me directly. I can't believe I overlooked that card for the whole duel, earlier I had a card that could kill it! Before I summoned the Devil!"_He gritted his teeth.

Benjiro drew a card. "Now I can win this duel! I ca sacrifice 100 life points to destroy all cards other than Judgement Dragon!"

The Dragon roared and Nikolai looked to the floor in frustration. "Get on."

Then he said something so powerful, so sudden and so out of the blue that Nikolai had a double take as it sunk in. It didn't seem possible. It made him partially relieved but also very angry.

"But I surrender." Came the calm words of the Japanese boy as he placed his hand over the duel disk and the sensors within recognized the lack of light as a surrender signal.

B: 2600 (Surrender)

N: 200

Nikolai jerked his head up while the holograms faded and the duel disk righted themselves. Benjiro tossed the box of Nikola's home memento's to Nikolai who caught it clumsily. Benjiro nodded before turning to leave.

"That was unexpected." Commented Carissa.

"You're telling me." Replied Adam.

She glared at him and he backed off. Let the box fall to the floor and stormed after Benjiro.

"Don't walk away from me! Why did you do that!" Nikolai called with rage.

Benjiro stopped and spoke without turning. "I want to see you progress, you have talent and squashing you will not do you too good."

"No one surrenders to Nikolai Nekorovich, I'd rather loose! There's no victory in surrender it's a default result." He ranted.

Benjior shrugged his shoulders. "As I said I don't want to squash you so soon. Anything you say now will fall on deaf eyes I'm afraid Nikolai, I've made my decision now bye." Then he left leaving nikolai in the dust. He blinked a breathed out. Then he turned to Adam and Carissa as he got his things together.

"Well, I'm back to my dorm." He said wearily.

"I'll come too matey." Adam slapped him on the back.

"See you tomorrow Carissa." Nikolai nodded at her.

"Bye Nik." She smiled and gave small wave as she left in a different direction.

"Hey wait! I'll walk you back to the dorm rooAARGH!" Nikolai trod on Adam's foot here.

"You don't know when to stop." Laughed Nikolai as Adam massages his foot while they walked.

Once they got back Nikolai laid down on his bed and Adam headed into the bathroom to have a quick shower to freshen up. While he did this Nikolai slowly headed over to his wardrobe and with melancholy opened it. Inside were some of his normal clothes which he could wear at certain times. He dug into his favourite jacket and removed his wallet; he dug further in and pulled out a small crinkled photo of a guy around his eyes with floppy black hair and green eyes with a friendly smile on his face and his arms crossed. He was standing n front of beautiful snowy field in some Russian wilderness. Nikolai sighed.

"Sascha…" he simply said as he stared at the photo for a few minutes before replacing it and without telling Adam took a walk to clear his head.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Other Side of the Coin

Chapter 5: The Other Side of the Coin

The sun slowly rose over the tropical island where the prestigious Duel Academy was situated. A bright yellow glow lit the island and filtered through the windows of a certain Obelisk Blue student's room. The glow grazed across his eyes which began to twinge at the bright light. They slowly opened and a groan escaped his lips as he pushed his head under his pillows for some more sleep. It wouldn't come. He knew it. It was one of those days. As he slid himself out of bed he let out a great yawn and pulled a cigarette out from the bottom drawer of the small desk next to him. He grabbed the box of matches too and lit one quickly. Taking a deep breath of the soothing nicotine. He fell back into his bed as he smoked the death stick. Only his younger sister knew he smoked and while she hated the habit she swore never to tell anyone. She didn't have to. Keep promises to him. After what he did. After finishing the ciggie and throwing it out of the window he got himself dressed and got ready for a quick walk before the day properly started. It was calming. Everything was still asleep. He wouldn't have been surprised if he was the only one awake. As he came deeper into the forest he saw something in the distance. He looked harder. It was a building of some sort. A small dome, very old. With a curious mind set he worked his way over. To his surprise a large dormitory like building was hidden away. It was falling apart and the walls were covered in growth of plants. Windows had bee caved in long ago and what was visible of the once majestic wooden doors had begun to rot. A rather pitiful attempt at security took the form of a chain drawn across the two stone pillars that granted entrance to the ground area with a 'Do Not Enter' print upon it was.

"This must be the abandoned blue dorm." Mumbled Kai.

As he commented on the old decrepit building he saw something unusual. It was just for a second but it was enough to unnerve him. With confused eyes. He took some steps back before turning completely and heading back to his dorm with haste.

"Must have been my imagination." He sighed trying to sound confident.

But why would he imagine a face in the top window crying blood and reaching out to him with a maimed hand?

He met up with Jack later on and the two went about classes as normal, 'picking up' anything that caught their eye. As first break came upon them he and Jack walked out to their spot. Behind the academy where everything was mostly covered the mighty shadow of the building. There were mostly supply sheds here and nothing much else. Jack had busted one open to see what was inside one and found it was empty so they decided to use it as a clubhouse of sorts. At the moment an old tattered mattress, a few chairs and a desk with a CD player was all that was there but they had plans to move some stuff in later on. Jack threw himself onto the mattress as Kai sat in the chair. He threw Jack a cigarette and lit it for him and they both sat in silence for a few seconds as the room began to fill with smoke, Kai lent over and opened a window just as Jack began to talk.

"So." He stated in a voice slightly limited by the stick in his mouth. "What you pick up?"

"You first." Replied Kai.

Jack took his bag off his back and rummaged through removing his store of items he had acquired.

"A few wallets, no cash …a nice pen…oh and some spray for wasp stings." He laid out his small and rather pointless collection.

Kai chuckled. "You're slipping Jack."

"Shut up."

"Whatever happened to the Jack that stole his dads debit card and took out 1000 to get a customized moped?"

Jack growled. "What you got then?"

Kai threw his bag down and zipped it open. "I've only got one thing but it's good."

Jack leaned forward with interest as Kai removed…a PDA.

Kai saw the deflation in Jack but he bit back. "This isn't any PDA Jack. This is Fengs."

He had got it the day before after being called to his dorm heads office. He wanted his photo taken with him for some newspaper and while Kai enjoyed the fame he couldn't resist slipping the thing on his teacher's desk into his pocket.

"This thing jack will let us enter the mainframe of the school." He grinned. "Imagine the damage we can cause. The secrets we can find."

Jack removed his cigarette momentarily. "Sweet. Any DA points on there?"

DA points were the currency on the island. Due to the varied nationalities on the island it made sense set up their own money system. These could be easily exchanged for things offshore form the island and 'purchased' all thanks to Kaiba Corp and some fund transactions. Teachers generally had more funds so this placed them in a very good position.

Kai laughed sharply. "500."

Jack whistled. "I guess you win this time Kai my man."

Kai put a smug face on. "Prince of Games, Thieves and King of Singles." He said in a very confident manner.

Jack gave him a high five and replaced the cigarette into his mouth again. As he did so he checked his watch.

"Better get moving Kai." He commented as he got up and zipped up his bag. "Ask me before you buy anything."

"Oh I will." He said as two left in opposite directions.

Kai had Sports class next so he was in a different area of the school while Jack had DM history in the main classroom area. As Kai entered the super-expensive gym area he heard a familiar and annoying foreign voice.

"Yuki." It growled

"Nekorovich." Snarled Kai back as he turned to see the Russian he had grown to despise. "Why are you here?"

"Mr Wales (Kai's gym teacher) sick today apparently." Explained Nikolai coldly. "So my timetables were changed so our classes are joined today."

"I'm thrilled." Kai narrowed his eyes and the two glared at each other for a short time. It was broke up when an Obelisk student with great reluctance suggested Kai get his kit before the class began. Kai turned and strode off to the locker area to collect his kit leaving Nikolai to go…

"Wherever the hell he wants to fuck with someone." Thought Kai sourly as he pushed the door to the Boys changing area open and turned to his locker which was conveniently next to the door.

He opened the door and pulled out his kit. As he closed the door he heard a voice right next to him.

"Hi." A girl's voice said in a friendly tone.

He turned to his left and saw an Obelisk blue girl slightly older than him and with black hair in a ponytail. Her eyes had a playful quality to them. Inside Kai smirked even though this was a boys changing room.

"_Seems pretty cute to me." _He thought as she introduced herself.

"I'm Gwendolyn. It's an honour, no a privilege to meet you Yuki-sama." She said surprising kai with her knowledge of Japanese naming.

"An honour to meet you Gwen." He said in a laid back tone.

She smiled at him and the two stood in an awkward silence for a few seconds before Kai broke it.

"Um." He aid uneasily. "I've got to get changed for Gym."

Silence still.

"In here."

Silence.

"Alone." Kai said in a more irritated tone.

"Oh ok. Sorry." Apologised the girl as she walked off.

Before she left she turned around. "By the way you might want to take a different route out of the locker room. That Russia boy and his English friend are going to throw ink at you or something."

Kai blinked. "Urgh...Thanks."

As he finished saying this she walked off leaving him to get changed into his kit. Taking her advice he left through a side entrance and met up with the class. Nekorovich and Harper were late and had disappointed looks on their faces. The gym teacher was a massive man. About 7 foot tall and a 4 foot wide chest. He was white and had a bald head which gave Kai and a few others the image of a fitness freak.

"Ok class." He said in his booming voice that reminded Kai of the Hulk. "We were going to do athletics today but due to the swell of numbers because of my colleague being ill we're going to do something else. I thought maybe a game of football."

The American kids at this point gave a cheer. The teacher frowned.

"Not that football." He corrected them as he leaned over to a basket in the main hall and pulled a white and black circular ball out. "This one."

He heard Harper say 'oh yeah' behind him as kai mulled over the thought of playing soccer. So as they jogged outside onto the sports field and ran round the track warming up and stretching Kai and nikolai began a competition of sorts. Instead of jogging round the track like everyone else they sprinted round as fast as they could attempt to up class themselves from their rival. This left them exhausted mind you so when the time actually came to play soccer they were put up front.

"That'll teach you." Grumbled the gym teacher.

The game was slow and little happened except for the occasional collapse from a bad tackle or a corner. Kai kept himself well for a lot of the game ad actually managed to score. This boosted his pride slightly watching Harper (who was in goal) and Nekorovich mope around. Toward the end of the game Kai managed to get into another good position. He somehow managed to get into another good position. His team-mate in midfield chipped the ball over the heads of his 'assailants'' and toward Kai. The ball was right in front of him and he was in the box.

"If I move quick enough I can score. That'll put the jerks down." He smirked as he twisted round and prepared to kick.

As he spun his leg round he hit something significantly harder than the ball that caught him off guard making him collapse. He heard some concerned groans from other players and the teacher blowing his whistle to end the match. A small circle had gathered round him as he picked himself up. He turned to see what he had hit and laughed hard. Rolling with a bloodied nose on the floor was Adam Harper who has obviously come out to punt the ball out and instead had been rewarded with a boot to the face from Kai.Adam heard him laugh and with anger written on his face leapt at him hitting him straight in the eye hard. Everyone went ooh.Kai stumbled back and held his face with a hand. He was about to strike back when the teacher came into the circle and pushed the two apart.

"Ok it was just an accident boys." He said, obviously not knowing what had transpired.

The two boys glared at each other as the teacher declared the lesson over and they made their way back to the changing rooms.

After getting changed and cleaning his face up (luckily he hadn't a black eye) and replacing his kit into his locker, Kai made his way back to the Obelisk Blue dorm to find Jack. On the way he lit another cigarette and breathed in. Jack had introduced him to the habit and, he'd say it once and he'd say it again, he enjoyed it too much too stop…that and the chicks liked it. As he walked along lost in thought suddenly Adam Harper walked out from behind a tree. He had been waiting for him for some time Kai assumed due to the twigs covering him. His appearance was also altered by the plaster over his nose which look crooked slightly. Kai grinned after removing his cigarette for the time being.

"Alright brit boy?" He asked. "Where is Nikolai then?"

Adam scowled. "He's at the card shop. I thought I'd come get myself some revenge. Mate."

He loaded the duel disk on his arm with his deck.

Kai chuckled. "You challenge me?"

He laughed and then continued. "Well I'll accept but what are you wagering?"

"All our duel points we have." Sneered Adam.

Kai frowned slightly. "_I got Fengs PDA on me with all those DA points. No way am I letting this tea sipping limey get them_."

"I accept." He eventually answered but betraying now concern as he began smoking again and activated his own duel disk.

K: 4000

A: 4000

Kai drew his sixth card quickly before Adam could and began to plan his method of attack. He nodded at his hand. Not brilliant but ok.

"I'll summon Lost Nobility-Louis (4/1500/1500)." The dark French noble walked forth with an air of class about him as he sneered down at the English boy in front of him.

Adam growled. "Damm frog."

"Viva La France Harper." Chuckled Kai through his cigarette. "I'll set a card and finish up there."

Adam snapped a card off his deck and slipped a monster onto his duel disk.

"I set a monster in defence position and end my turn with a set spell or trap." Explained Adam as the 3 facedown cards materialized before him.

Kai drew his next card and prepared his onslaught. "Summon Lost Nobility-Tal'Set (2/700/700)."

A demonic looking American Indian with a bow in its hand and a quiver on it back strode out, adjusting his headpiece and grinning wickedly.

"Activate Equip spell card Household Name." A grey aura surrounded Louis.

A grey aura surrounded the Indian flexed his arm muscles.

(LNTS 7001100)

"Now I'll activate Cyclone on your set card." Grinned Kai wickedly as he removed his cigarette and blew some smoke out. As he did this it became caught up in the whirlwind of water and wind emanating from the quick play magic card aimed at Adams set card which splintered into thousands of pieces.Kai then pointed at the set monster carelessly and Tal'Set pulled back his arrow and let loose, the flint arrow flew through the air with a whistle and fell down, piecing the monster. A small square box like robot that looked similar to a dog briefly appeared before it was sent to the cemetery.Kai then smirked as Louis charged forth brandishing his blade and slashing wildly before stabbing forward at Adams chest, causing him to collapse to a knee and cough.

K: 4000

A: 2500

"End turn." Stated Kai. "You still want to go through with this Harper?"

Adam pulled himself up with a groan and glared at Kai who just looked back with a whisper of a smirk as he breathed out some smoke. Silently he drew his next card. As he grinned in triumph at the sight of a good card the set card on kais field flipped up.

"Activate Penalty Game!" A card displaying the Dark Invader showed itself and from the shadow behind Adam grew up from the ground the very same monster. "This card has two effects and can only be activated when you have 4 or more cards in your hand, one I'm not interested in this turn and the other is good for me, bad for you. You can't play any spell or traps this turn."

The Englishman frowned as his TARDIS card was rendered useless as the Invader waved his hand over his cards leaving a hologram that made a shadow leer over the spells and traps ominously… along with his turn.

"_I have no other monsters_!" He thought with widened eyes. "_Why can I never get the cards?!"_

"Happens to everyone." Came a voice of similar accent in his eye from… nowhere.

Adam whipped round to search for the source of the speaker.Noone. Confusion enveloped him as he contemplated if he could have imagined it. As Kai went to make a smug remark Adam waved him off and set a card, there was little else he COULD do really. Kai drew with a vicious smirk, bloodlust in his eyes.

"I'm after the kill Harper…this Californians a hunter!" He said as he drew his next card.

"You're Japanese." Said Adam blandly.

"Nice for stating the obvious. I live in America. Ever heard of immigration noob?" chuckled the Prince of Games. "You limeys moan about it enough."

"Yea yea, get the F on with it." Barked Adam.

Kai growled angrily and then thought better than to shout back. "_I'll just overdo it in the ring. I can beat him with a combined attack from Tal'set and Louis already but I want to really leave some bruises. And I have the perfect method."_

"I summon Lost Nobility-Ugan (1/800/700)" declared the Yuki heir as a hairy caveman with a beastly animalistic face thudded out, an animal skull as a crown of sorts perched on its head and a torn pelt upon its frame carrying a spiked club with skulls upon the handle in its out of proportion hands. It let out a cry of aggression at the sight of Adam and punched its chest with the free hand.

"Woah, woah, you can already beat me!" pouted Adam in an angry tone, muffled by his hurt nose.

"I'm not done." Carelessly commented Kai as he activated a spell. "A name can give everyone impressions of who you are, where you come from, the enemies that follow you and the expectations you carry. I know that more than most but it can also give you strength and a reputation to fear. Inherited Name accordingly lets me sacrifice a monster in order to increase another Lost Nobilities attack by that monsters lowest score, doubled. For each turn that passes however I lose the higher score of the sacrificed monster of LP."

Ugan then fell to its bony knees and began to groan in pain. Breathing fast and shallowly. Then as its breathing reached a peak blood spurted from its ears, eyes and mouth along with nostrils until its skin was as white and empty as a sheet.

"Nice." Replied Adam sarcastically as the blood began to travel toward Louis. As it reached his foot it shot up and wrapped itself around Louis in tendrils that appeared like exploding outward veins. Web like patterns of blood staining his clothes through and through. Louis laughed cruelly and heartily as a look of dark knowledge and power enveloped its eyes, the windows of an already broken soul.

(LNL 15002900)

Adam sighed. "This'll hurt, get it over with."

Kai smirked and breathed out with smoke.

"Go on! You get the Duel points!" shouted Adam.

"Maybe I don't want to beat you."

"You wanna kill me."

"Tempting but too messy. No I want you to apologise, on your knees, for insulting me. In return I may let you walk away."

"No way Yuki." Spat Adam.

Kai grinned and smoked in again. "Your choice ATTACK!"

As the two monsters charged however something happened, for a full two seconds the holograms froze and flickered violently before continuing forth. Adam braced himself and to kais delight it wasn't enough as Louis stabbed him violently in the chest and Tal'set plunged two arrows into his back. The shockwaves from the attacks was far greater than normal due to some tinkering. Usually the pain level is basic at best but Kai thought it was best that the nerves should be tested on your opponents. That's why he had fitted a small switch under the arm brace of his duel disk to increase the level by 4 times the normal rate. Handy for annoyances. Ads the holograms faded and Adam lay on the ground dizzy and delirious Kai went over and rummaged through his pockets, he found the PDA and with a feeling of enjoyment transferred all the points to his account.

"Well, if you want me to crush you again feel free to challenge me again some time Harper." Said Kai with venom as he stood up, taking the time to step on his hand to a groan of pain.

As he got back into his room at long last he threw himself onto the bed and let out a contented sigh. It had been an ok day. As soon as he touched the bed with his back however he pulled himself up in quick reaction, he walked over to the balcony and took a good look around. The image imprinted on his brain so vividly it hurt.

"Calm down. It was just an optical illusion." He muttered to himself as he threw himself down again and reached onto the table next to him for his IPOD. There had been nothing there. No figure, no blood and certainly no severed head in its hand.

,

Sorry for the major delay, put it down to stagnation and a bad hand. Anyhow I'm up for constructive criticism and any ideas you have for characters and or cards. Sorry again and I hope you're enjoying the fic.


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